ELfen Lied : The Favor series
by keithallen
Summary: A fun romp with the Maple Inn family after the last Anime Chapter.  This follows the anime, so no complaints about Lucy being alive.  She returned after the fateful night at the bridge.
1. Chapter 1

**PREMISE**:

I see tons of fan fiction that deals with the gloom and dark side of the Elfen Lied Anime. There is also a brighter, fun side to EL that I believe needs to be tapped into. Hence :The 'Favor" series is my look at the Maple Inn family after Lucy returns in CH 13.

Yes, in this world, Lucy does return from that fateful night on the bridge. Finally having someone who accepts her, she wants to live with Kouta and the mis-matched group that have formed bonds with each other. Keeping to themselves, they successfully hide from Kakuzawa and his band. Will it be a peaceful, happily ever-after story? HA! You should know better than that by now.

In this series that starts off as pure, perverted fun, The Maple Inn family also have many things they have to deal with. Including the fact that the original diclonius Kakazawa though were extinct, in fact are NOT.

Each story is loosely based around a favor someone asks.

So, on with :

**Nana Gets her limbs back and asks a Favor of Kouta**

The new diclonius boy that came to visit the Maple Inn had a peculiar gift. His vectors could heal wounds, or re grow entire limbs. Sent by an acquaintance of Lucy, he'd come to restore Nana's arms and legs.

Nana had been very happy that Kita-san was re-growning her arms and legs. Using his healing abilities, the dinclonius boy held each stump in turn, and made the flesh regrow into a new limb. In making the limbs grow, Nana discovered the healing energy had sent wonderful sensations through her body. She had enjoyed the tingles coming from his hand when each arm was brought back. When he did her legs, however she felt amounts of pleasure she'd never felt before.

Upon Kita holding onto the stump of her right leg, it seemed his fingers sent tingles almost to her crotch. When he concentrated, the joyful tendrils crept up through her groin and into the pit of her belly. Gripping his shoulders with her hands, Nana gasped in open-mouthed pants as her leg and the sensations grew. Her right knee was back, and the sensations in her belly were contracting into delightful spasms. By the time he was down to forming her new shin, her belly became a pit of fire. Nana's eyes half closed as she gasped in time with the pulsing sensations. Sweat beads trailed down her face as she tried to speak to tell him to stop. If he kept going, she would die from the joy! All that came out of her mouth was a moan. By the time he formed her new foot, the sensations threatened to overtake her senses.

"There, done," Kita said as he lifted his hand off her foot.

Nana gapped at her toes. Yes, Kita was finished. He sat down exhausted from the energy he had expended on her. "But.." Nana croaked, as the glorious feelings faded to leave an empty feeling in their passing. She didn't know what it was, but she felt like SHE wasn't finished yet. She gapped at him, desperately wanting him to continue.

Seeing the look in her eyes, Kita smiled and said, "That felt really good, huh?"

Still unable to speak, Nana nodded.

Leaning toward her, Kita cupped her face and said, "I really like you, Nana. After I regrow your other leg, I'll make sure you feel very good, all the way to the conclusion."

Nana clasped his wrist and gasped out, "OK."

As before, once he re-grew a limb, Kita ate a huge amount of food, then slept until the next day.

With how ravenous he wolfed down food, Yuka was sure that Kita and Nana were related somehow. Nana helped cook, making sure Kita ate until he couldn't take another bite. After Kita wandered off to sleep, Nana spent the rest of the day and a sleepless night anticipating those feelings he gave her, as well as getting her other leg back.

In the morning, Nana was the first in the kitchen cooking breakfast, wanting to be sure Kita had plenty of energy. Mayu and Yuka congratulated her on getting her limbs back, but were amused at how she was fussing over 'Kita's plate' that was piled high.

Both Kita and Nana ate with such ravenous gusto, the others stared at them. Nana finished her plate, and as soon as Kita took his last bite, she snapped his plate up to take care of it.

"You seem to be in a hurry this morning," Yuka said cheerfully.

"I take it things are going well?" Kouta asked.

Nana only flashed them a broad smile before disappearing into the kitchen. Lucy chuckled.

Kita got up and excused himself, saying, "I better get ready, Nana will be waiting."

Nana went to her room, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. She was so excited she could barely breathe. Taking off her shorts, she wore only panties and a shirt as she sat down in front of Kita with her right leg out, and the stump of her left leg facing him.

Kita put a hand on her thigh, which send shivers up her spine. "Nana, when we are done, there is something I'd like to ask you," he said.

"What is it?" she asked, ready to agree to whatever it was he wanted.

"Not yet. After you have your leg back. Ready?"

'**knock knock knock**' sounded at the door. Yuka's voice drifted in.

"Nana, I'm going to the store, is there anything special you'd like?"

Store, special? There was only one thing Nana wanted, and it was right here in front of her. "No, thank you, Yuka," she called out.

Kita closed his eyes and began. This time, the pleasant tendrils crept easily up Nana's stump. She welcomed them as they crept up through her body and tickled at her tender, private places. Not only did she put her hands on Kita's shoulders, but instinctively wrapped her vectors around him to get as much contact with him as possible. She saw her knee emerge as he slowly moved his hand down. The sensations in her belly were warming up into delightful twitches. Her leg came back, as did the fire in the pit of her belly. There was something she desperately wanted, something that she herself didn't quite know what it was. Kita rotated his hand as he formed her ankle, Nana was panting and sweating. It felt like she was getting ready to burst from the pure joy inside her. Again, he finished forming her foot, and the peaking ecstasy leveled out and faded away to leave her feeling hollow inside.

Nana pulled Kita to her so hard, she knocked herself flat with Kita on top of her. She couldn't stand any more. "Oh please, keep going!" she begged.

Kita chucked. Lifting himself up on his elbows, he gazed at her softly and said, "My dear Nana. You are the prettiest girl I've ever seen. I want to be with you, Nana. If we continue, if we have sex, I won't ever want to leave you. Ever. Would you be happy with someone like me?"

His words sounded like a plea. "How could I not be?" Nana asked.

They kissed. As they kissed, he stroked her side, then her breast, which sent glorious waves of happy tingles through her body.

'**knock knock knock**'

At the sound of the knocking, Kita all but flew off Nana, trying to pretend nothing was happening. Holding onto him, Nana was pulled to the side. Reluctantly, she let go as Mayu's voice rang out.

"Nana, I was going to take Wanta for a walk, but I though maybe you'd like to come with us now you have your own legs back?"

Panting from lust, Nana had to take a few breaths to calm herself and answer. "Yeah, Mayu ... sure. We're not done yet, so go ahead without me this time. We'll walk him later, OK?"

"OK! We'll go down to the beach later." Mayu yelled happily, then ran off.

Nana leveled her gaze on Kita, then pulled him back in place. They returned to kissing and fondling, and soon, the fantastic sensations were running through Nana's body again. As Kita hugged her, she felt something hard slide in between her legs and poke at her groin.

Her eyes flew open. This was it. She gripped Kita tight in her arms, he was going to be her husband. He was going to hers from now, and forever. Savoring the moment, she braced herself, ready to accept him, and whatever he was going to do with her.

**'knock knock knock**'

Again, Kita shot up off Nana and quickly got his clothes back together. Frustrated, Nana sat up and screamed, "WHAT IS IT!"

The door slid open. Lucy stood holding a tray of food. She eyed them with a smirk. Bringing the tray in, she set it down as she said, "We thought you'd be hungry. Sorry for the intrusion."

Nana watched Lucy leave. She then got up and went to the door. Once Lucy was out of the hallway, she looked to be sure no one else was coming, then went back in and jumped on Kita.

Wrapping themselves together, they kissed and fondled. This time as Kita got ready to enter her, Nana wrapped her legs and vectors around him. She was not letting go of him, no matter what! He teased her, making her half mad to get him inside her. Panting in lust, Nana was ready...

**'knock knock knock'**

Kita's jump this time rolled both of them over. Now on top, Nana glared at the door and slashed it in half with a vector as she screamed, "NOT NOW!"

On the other side of the door, Kouta stood wide-eyed as the door fell in half. He swallowed, and pointed down the hall. "Ummm, sorry, there's an urgent phone call for Kita. I'll be going now."

Letting out an irritated sigh, Kita said, "I have to take it."

"No!" Nana cried, "You have to take me first!"

With the help of his own vectors, Kita stood up, with Nana clinging tightly to him. "I am terribly sorry, I have to take this call," he said and kissed her. He gently pried Nana loose and got his clothes together.

Ready to cry in fustation, Nana got dressed and followed Kita out. Going to the phone, Kita picked it up.

"Hello, this is Kita ... she's pregnant? ... I am?... Oh, I see. No need for that. I'm coming." He hung up the phone and gave Nana a sad glance.

"What?" Nana asked, hearing the conversation, but not wanting to understand it.

Kita shrugged and said, "My girlfriend is pregnant, I have to go."

"Girlfriend? Nana cried. "You have another **girlfriend**!" she ended in a screech.

"I'll be going now," Kita said, and quickly walked out the door.

Nana stood in shock as he departed. "But ... you said..." she whispered at the door.

"Are you all right?" Kouta asked from by the corner.

Nana gapped at him and pointed to where Kita had left. "But, he said I was his only girl ... he said he'd be with me forever..."

Kouta let out a sigh and went over and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Nana. Some guys are like that. They are nothing but trouble. I bet he helps silpelits just because he knows they can't get pregnant."

Nana leaned into him, not believing someone so kind would lie and take advantage of her so badly. And she was still desperate to find out how those fantastic sensations ended. "You'd never lie to me like that, would you, Kouta?" she asked.

Petting her head, Kouta said, "No. Hey, no matter what, I'll always be here for you."

"Where did Lucy go?" Nana asked sweetly.

"She went after Yuka, there's a couple things Yuka forgot to put on the shopping list."

"And Mayu is walking Wanta," Nana said thoughtfully.

"Yes, she should be back on an hour or so," Kouta agreed.

Looking up at Kouta, Nana asked, "Hey Kouta, if I really need something, you'd do it for me, wouldn't you?"

"Of course," he said automatically.

Nana's innocent look shifted into a lustful one. The hand she laid on his collar tightened into a fist as she grabbed his shirt. Pulling him down the hall, she said, "I really, really need this..."


	2. Chapter 2 : Kouta asks a favor of Lucy

Kouta sat in the garden behind a flowering bush, with smaller bushes bracketing each side of him. He told Yuka that it was a nice day so he was going out. What he did was retreat to a place where no one could find him.

He knew Nana had begged him, he knew he'd made her happy. Her excitement and exuberance had been intoxicating. He shouldn't have, though. If Mayu found out what they did, she would never go near him or speak to him again. If Lucy found out, it might cause another battle between her and Nana. If Yuka found out – he was a dead man. They would have to use DNA testing to verify his corpse.

Thankfully, Nana didn't breathe a word to anyone. Still, at dinner last night he could not bring himself to look at anyone. He felt too embarrassed to meet anyone's eyes. Hyper-cheerful Nana had drawn attention to herself, letting him wallow in silence. Breakfast had been the same, Nana making her cheerful show that drew eyes to her and let him stay far in the background.

Letting out a sigh, he realized he couldn't hide out here forever. Yuka had mentioned taking Mayu and Nana out, he figured it would be safe to sneak back to his room and get some studying done.

Raising himself up, he stepped out of the bushes, and came face-to-face with Lucy. With a yelp, he backpedaled and fell.

"There you are," Lucy giggled as Kouta winced from his landing. Shooting out a couple vectors, she helped him get up.

"Umm, hi Lucy. I was just ... looking at the garden. I don't get out here much, you know." he explained as he rubbed the back of his head.

Eyeing him, Lucy asked, 'What's wrong? I know that look."

"Nothing, nothing," he said quickly with a nervous chuckle. "You surprised me, that's all."

"I'm not talking about now. Last night and this morning, you've been acting strange," she noted.

Kouta swallowed hard. She knew. "Umm, Lucy,, it's not what you think. I ... was just thinking about a difficult study problem I have."

"Liar."

"No, really," he said, trying to keep the nervous giggle out of his voice. "In fact, I was about to go study right now." He managed not to rub the back of his head as he turned to leave.

Lucy kept pace with him and asked, "So, you're not trying to avoid me?"

"Why would I do that?"

Lucy placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. She didn't speak. Kouta turned to see she was eyeing him with a long, sad face. She finally asked, "Did you do something with Yuka?"

"What!" he gasped in surprise.

"Did you ... sleep with Yuka?" Lucy asked in a hoarse voice.

Relieved, Kouta let out a sigh. "No, I did not sleep with Yuka. I haven't done anything at all with Yuka. If I sleep with anyone, I want it to be you.." Right after he said it, he clapped his mouth shut and wished he'd kept quiet.

The hand on his shoulder tightened a bit. A satisfied smile came to Lucy's face. So THAT was why he was acting strange. "Thank you," she said softly. Pulling him into a hug, she kissed him. Casting him a wide smile, she added, "And I want to sleep with you."

"Really?" he asked. Seeing this as a chance to redeem himself, and sleep with someone he truly loved, he asked, "Can I visit your room after everyone else goes to bed?"

Lucy nodded then motioned for him to keep going. "Any time you want. Go do your studies now."

"Ahh that's done!" Yuka said happily as she and Nana put their paint brushes down. All the upstairs rooms were now freshly painted, as were her and Nana's room.

"Yuka, where do we sleep?" Mayu asked as she came in with Lucy, both carrying cans of paint.

"Well," Yuka said with a thoughtful pause, "Nana can sleep with Mayu, and if you don't mind Lucy, I'll sleep with you tonight. Tomorrow we can do yours, Kouta's and Mayu's rooms. Then we'll be finished. I'll let Kouta know right after he gets back from that job interview."

Nana's eyes grew wide. "Oh, we forgot to start dinner! Come on, Mayu, let's go!" she said and grabbing Mayu's hand, Nana ran out with her.

"I hope it will be a celebratory dinner, for Kouta getting his job," Yuka said.

"I'm sure it will be. Kouta was very positive when he got the call," Lucy told her. "He almost forgot to put his shoes on when he ran out of the house."

Yuka let out a giggle. "That would not help get a job. Come on, let's put this stuff away."

Kouta returned late. Not only did he get the job, but his new boss had shown him around and had him fitted for his new uniform. Instead of being gone an hour, he didn't get back home until after dinner was over. Mayu and Nana gave him congratulatory hugs. Yuka gave him a bigger hug before she went out to fix him a plate. Then Lucy wrapped her arms around him and planted a kiss on his lips that took his breath.

Gazing at her beautiful, smiling face, Kouta decided it was going to be tonight. Grinning broadly at her, he whispered, "I know one thing that would make this day perfect."

Lucy winked and replied, "Yes, it would. Kouta. Tonight.."

"Here you go, MR. Working Man!" Yuka chimed brightly as she brought his food into the dinning room. Kouta and Lucy parted, Lucy's sentence remaining unfinished.

Kouta ate with a vigor reminiscent of Nana's finest meals. He told them all about his job, high on the fact he now could make his own money, as well as the plans he had for tonight. Yuka was happily supportive, and Lucy kept giving him glances as if she couldn't wait for later either.

This was going to be so awesome!

"Kouta, we painted the upstairs today ..." Lucy said pointedly, then got interrupted by Yuka.

"Yes, everyone pitched in," Yuka said brightly, "And tomorrow, Kouta, we're going to do your room, so in the morning take your things up to an empty room. When does you job start?"

"Monday morning, though Mr. Uata wants me to come by tomorrow to give me my locker key. I can help tomorrow too," Kouta explained.

"New job, freshly painted room, what could be better?" Yuka asked happily.

Kouta cast a glance at Lucy, and couldn't help but to sport a grin from ear to ear. "Today is wonderful!" he agreed.

Finishing dinner, Kouta had the idea Lucy wanted some 'alone' time with him, but someone was always right there with them. He squeezed her hand in assurance that later on, they would have plenty of 'alone time'.

In his room, Kouta packed a few things for a day in a spare room as he waited anxiously. Nana and Mayu's quiet talking died out. He waited a full hour after the Inn had gone silent, then turned off his light and slid the door open.

Lucy couldn't sleep. She was sure Kouta would come tonight. Any other night, she'd welcome him with open arms. The fact that Yuka lay beside her had ruined a private meeting. She quietly told Yuka she was going to the bathroom. She did, and waited there for Yuka to drift off before she snuck into Kouta's room.

Creeping barefoot down the hall to Lucy's room, Kouta checked for noises from the girl's room. With the way Nana was snoring, they both had to be asleep. A check of Yuka's room showed the light off. Good, Yuka was asleep. He hoped Lucy hadn't fallen asleep yet. If she did, he'd wake her gently.

As silently as possible, Kouta slid Lucy's door open, shutting it carefully behind him. In the dark, all he could make out was a form lying under the covers. She'd laid out another futon, was she expecting him to stay the night? Well, as long as they got up before Yuka did, he wouldn't mind that at all.

Kneeling down beside the form, he kissed her gently and touched her shoulder. "Wake up, sweetheart, It's Kouta," he said, and kissed her again. She responded, returning his kiss as she awoke, and put her arms around him.

Kissing deeply and petting, he savored the softly moaning woman in his arms. He kissed down her neck, and parted her nightgown as he kissed his way onto the center of her chest. Panting, she pulled him under the covers with her. Rising back up to enfold her in his arms, he kissed her ear and whispered, "I love you more than life. I want to be with you forever, my sweet Lucy."

The woman in his arms froze. He was wondering what was wrong when something slammed into his head so hard it put sparks in his eyes. He felt himself lifted up and punched twice in the stomach, then he was assaulted by what he guessed had to be her vectors.

WHACK

WHACK

WHACK

WHACK

WHACK

WHACK

WHACK

Kouta was knocked out of bed and pummeled mercilessly. Curling into a ball, he got slammed in his ribs, sides, back, and head as he cried out in pain. The assaults then stopped. He looked out from between his arms to see the light was on.

Over him, Yuka stood with her nightgown hanging off her shoulders as she glared malevolently down on him. Behind her, Lucy had her arms wrapped around Yuka's middle. The depressions in Yuka's arms and legs showed Lucy was also holding onto her with her vectors.

"Stop it, you're hurting him!" Lucy cried.

"Hurt... hurt?" Yuka spat as she glared down on Kouta. "I'll going to KILL HIM!" she blasted out in a screech. Struggling against Lucy's vectors, Yuka wiggled in place and yelled, "How DARE you lay down with ME and call me LUCY?"

"I didn't know it was you!" Kouta cried in his own defense.

Yuka quieted down. She stared at Kouta, looked around the room, then her face fell. A single tear ran down her face. She looked away.

"Let me go," Yuka said quietly.

Sensing the danger was over, Lucy let go. Yuka fell to sit on the floor. She hugged herself as she stared off at nothing.

"I am very sorry you found out like this," Lucy offered. "But I can't let you hurt Kouta."

Yuka groaned, "I'm going to be sick..." Clapping a hand to her mouth, she got up and stumbled out.

Kouta tried to rise, and fell back with a cry of pain. He swore his ribs were broken. "I'm sorry, Yuka," he called out as loud as his aching ribs let him.

The disturbance had brought Mayu and Nana out. Seeing Yuka wander down the hallway hugging herself, they peeked in.

"What happened?" they asked at the same time.

"Did you do something to Yuka?" Mayu asked Kouta in an accusing tone. "Did you try to do something perverted to her?"

"I didn't know it was Yuka," Kouta explained as he held his aching ribs.

Mayu scowled at him then ran after Yuka. Gapping at Kouta, Nana asked, "Why would she be so upset? I mean, you are very gentle. At least you were with me."

"What?" Lucy asked as she turned to eye Nana.

Casting her innocent face to Lucy, Nana said, "Kouta is very gentle." Wearing a timid grin, she added, "It felt wonderful, and I know Yuka likes Kouta. I don't see why she would act that way."

Lucy's face became stonic. Slowly, she turned to glare down on Kouta. He voice held ice. "Nana, go make sure Yuka is OK, then call an ambulance, please."

Nana nodded and left.

Kneeling down by Kouta, who tried to shrink away, Lucy spoke in a slow, even tone as her eyes grew enraged, "Kouta, I do love you dearly but I am afraid you're going to miss your job Monday ... and maybe for the next few weeks."

"I'm not hurt that bad, really," he said sheepishly.

"Ohh, you will be," Lucy said as her vectors shot out.


	3. Chapter 3

Mayu asks a favor of everyone

Pt 1

Lucy pushed Kouta's wheelchair up over the entrance into The Maple Inn, making sure his arm cast didn't get caught on the door, or his leg cast catch on the sill. Inside, Nana, Yuka and Mayu sat waiting. When Kouta was rolled in, they stood up and greeted him with various enthusiasm.

Nana came forward and bowed to him, saying, "Komenesai, Kouta. I didn't know I caused such trouble for you. Komenesai."

"That's all right, Nana," Yuka said tonelessly. "Kouta should have known better." Casting a cold eye on Kouta, she added, "I have to stay to watch out for these girls. Kouta can stay also, so long as he keeps his hands to himself." She then stormed away.

"Yuka, wait!" Kouta cried. Yuka stopped, but didn't look at him. Gathering his nerve, he said, "I accept the blame for everything. Nana, Yuka is right, I should have known better. I should have explained to you that... things like that are only for someone you love, for only your special person. Yuka, you were right to be angry with me. I didn't make myself clear. It is my fault that I didn't tell you I chose Lucy. I just didn't want you to hate me ... because I DO like you! Mayu, I am so sorry you had to see any of this. I don't know what you went through, but it is clear what I did upset you greatly. Please forgive me."

They all shifted around nervously, then Mayu walked up to Kouta and said, "I don't think you were trying to be mean, but you did hurt Yuka. Nana said you made her happy, so I can forgive that, but you have to make up for hurting our Yuka. We have a nice family here, I don't want it to break up because of some STUPID perversion!"

Nana glanced at Yuka and said, "Mayu's right. This is the happiest I've ever been. I don't want to see anyone get hurt again, or for anyone to leave. Let's please watch out for each other, OK?"

"I'm not the one who put Kouta in the hospital," Yuka growled as she eyed Lucy with venom.

Lucy sighed and said, "Kouta, everyone, I apologize. But, what I saw was everyone having Kouta but me!"

"He called me by your name, that doesn't count?" Yuka asked heavily.

Eyeing Yuka, Lucy said, "No, that doesn't count."

"Stop it!" Mayu yelled. "Can we please not fight?"

"Come on, can we forget about it?" Nana asked loudly. Turning to each one as she spoke, Nana said, "We ALL have leaned on Kouta for support. He's been there, doing everything we ask as well as he can. He's done his best, but guess what! Kouta is not perfect. He made mistakes, just like the rest of us. Yuka, we do love you, but at times you are very selfish with Kouta!" Spinning to Lucy, Nana pointed at her and said, "That goes for you too! If you and Kouta want each other, that's fine, but he belongs to all of us. WHY do you have to make things so difficult?"

"Nana, you don't understand," Yuka said sharply.

"I think Nana does, and she's right," Mayu announced. Standing beside Nana, she said, "I think you and Lucy need to learn to share. In school we have to share! Why wouldn't you have to? Isn't the reason we go to school to learn how to be good people? If you're going to be perverted, at least you can be fair about it."

Gripping the handles of Kouta's wheelchair, Lucy said, "It isn't that simple."

"Yes it is!" Mayu stated. Squeezing her fists, Mayu yelled, "Please, everyone just do me ONE favor, and learn how to share!" Tears welled in Mayu's eyes as she said, "This is the only home Nana and I have, please don't let selfishness ruin it!"

Silence hung over them as Mayu broke down into sobs. Nana hugged her friend and cast a sad look at Yuka, then Lucy and Kouta. "Well?" she asked.

Stiffening herself, Yuka said, "I'm not going anywhere. Kouta, Lucy, I would like you to stay also." Visibly swallowing her pride, she added, "If you care for each other, that is fine. I'll learn to deal with it. But if you slip in bed with me, please be sure to remember who you're with."

All the girls' eyes turned to Lucy. Gripping the wheelchair handles, Lucy gave a begrudging nod. In halting words, she said, "I'm ... fine ... with sharing if I have to. I do like it here, you are the only friends I have."

All eyes focused on Kouta.

Wincing, Kouta mumbled, "I really feel like a pervert now."

"If the shoe fits," Yuka said as she stared at him.

Rubbing the back of his head with his good arm, Kouta said, "I don't want any more trouble. It's best if I stay by myself in my own room."

Behind him, Lucy said in a low voice, "Don't even say you won't sleep with me."

"That's right, Lucy at least gets her turn," Nana agreed.

Kouta frowned at Nana and said, "This isn't like sharing a toy! There are people's feelings involved here."

"Right, so don't let Lucy be left out, she'll feel bad if you do," Nana said triumphantly.

"That's not what I meant," Kouta said with a groan.

Suddenly, Yuka burst out laughing. She laughed so hard, she doubled over and hugged her sides. With everyone staring at her, she tried to talk as she giggled on. "This is ... so ridiculous ... it's funny! Two little girls ... are controlling our love lives!" She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and asked, "So, when do I get my turn on Kouta's perverted 'things to do' list?"

Frowning at her, Nana said, "It's not funny!"

Mayu frowned angrily at Yuka. Shooting an arm in the air, she announced, "I'll make the list, and it will be fair! Lucy is first, she hasn't had a chance to be perverted yet. Well, perverted with Kouta, anyway. Yuka is next, and Kouta, you have to make up for hurting her feelings. Nana can then have a turn if she wants, then it's back to Lucy again."

"Now hold on!" Kouta said sternly. "I can take care of my own love life."

Mayu shook her head and said, "No you can't. Yuka cried in her room for days, Lucy cried only when she thought no one was watching. Neither of them barely spoke to anyone, you ended up in the hospital, and both me and Nana were terrified we would end up with no home! We were all miserable, Kouta. Your way doesn't work."

Kouta sagged limp with a sigh as Yuka giggled helplessly. He wondered if it was the beginnings of madness taking her over.

"That's fine with me, I'll agree to it." Lucy said heavily. "Having to share Kouta is better than not having him at all."

Nana gave Lucy a thumbs up. "Don't worry, Lucy, you can have my turn too whenever you want," she announced happily.

"What?" Yuka asked in a giggle. "I don't get part of your turn, Nana?"

Nana thought for a moment, then said, "OK, but Lucy first, then I'll split most of my turns."

"How ... very thoughtful of you," Yuka said, then broke into another fit of giggles. Waving a hand at them, she said, "I have to go make supper. Be sure to let me know it's my turn." Yuka broke into wild laugher as she left.

"She's lost it," Lucy noted as Yuka left.

Planting his face into his hand, Kouta mumbled, "I don't believe this."

"Now that it's settled, I'll go help Yuka with dinner," Mayu announced and walked off.

Looking at Kouta, Nana asked, "Can I help you?"

Still a little jealous that Nana had Kouta first, Lucy said, "I can do it. It is my turn, after all."

"Oh, OK! I'll go help with dinner too," Nana said cheerfully and followed after Mayu.

Lucy got Kouta to his room. Useing her vectors, she lifted him out of the wheel chair and onto his futon. She put the wheel chair to the side, then knelt in front of him. Looking at him sadly, she held his hands and said, "I am sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

Kouta shook his head. "No need, but..." Giving her hand a gentle squeeze he said, "I guess it is your turn, if you'll be satisfied with just spending some time alone with me."

Lucy's face spread into a smile. "I'd like that."

Yuka got out the food for dinner, and directed the girls on getting the cooking started. All the while, a silly picture of Mayu making a calender of who was going to sleep with Kouta that night, stayed in her head. It was titled : 'Kouta's pervert schedule' and written in colored crayon. She couldn't help but keep giggling.

"Yuka, are you all right?" Nana asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Fine, Nana. Help Mayu with the salad. I'll be back shortly." In Yuka's mind, she was the yellow crayon, Lucy was the pink, and Nana was written on blue. Of course, they each had a matching color plaque with their name on it to hang on Kouta's door when they took their turns. She burst out laughing again as she left the kitchen.

Yuka laughed as she entered the dinning room, then upon visualizing Lucy going in to take her 'turn', she sat down hard at that thought. Kouta really was going to take Lucy to bed. When he did, it wasn't going to be a mistake when he whispered those words into her ear. Her laughing shifted into tears. Yuka bawled her eyes out.

Somehow as Kouta and Lucy talked, she had moved to a move comfortable position lying beside him. Being careful of his casts, she half laid over his chest.

"I'll talk to Kita about coming over to..." Lucy stopped as Kouta put a finger to her lips.

"Not him," Kouta said sternly. "Not with what he did to Nana. I can heal by myself."

Lucy kissed his finger, then moved his hand down to say, "Then, can I try? I do want to help you. I did cause it, after all."

"That would be OK, so long as you don't break anything else," he said with a grin.

They laughed. As Kouta laughed, he noted that he really loved Lucy's smile. He also noted his hand was resting on something soft. He gave it a squeeze as he looked down, and saw he was holding her right breast. Before he could move his hand, Lucy clapped his hand in place.

"It's OK. I like it there," Lucy said softly.

When Kouta looked up at her, all he could do was kiss her. As they kissed and he fondled, he felt her shirt open up, and now he was fondling bare flesh. He slid his arm around her to pull her close. Lucy moaned in delight as the kiss went on.

**'Knock knock knock'**

They broke the kiss reluctantly. "Yes?" Kouta asked.

"Coming," Lucy said as she got up and put her shirt back together. She opened the door to find Yuka standing there with red eyes swollen from crying.

"May I talk to Kouta?" Yuka asked sheepishly. Lucy stepped to the side.

Yuka came in, hands folded in front of her. Now quite looking at Kouta, she said, "I ... I want to say that ... if you'll have me ... I do want to take my turn."

"Yuka.." Kouta said, then went silent as Yuka held up her hand.

"Please don't. But please don't forget me." Yuka then turned and walked out quickly.

Lucy let out a huff and shut the door. Trying to regain the mood, she sauntered towards Kouta as she unbuttoned her shirt. "Now, where were we?" she asked with a lusty grin.

This time, Lucy mounted him in a straddle. Opening her shirt all the way, she said in a musical tone, "They're all yours, and they need a lot of attention."

Kouta made the best use of his one hand and his lips to kneed and suckle her breasts. "You are delicious," he whispered, and returned to nursing on her hard nubs.

Lucy kissed the top of his head and savored the sensations. For the moment, she relished being alone with Kouta.

**'knock knock knock'**

Lucy stiffened and gritted her teeth. "Don't EVEN open that door!" she warned.

Nana's voice drifted in. "Sorry to disturb! Is there anything special you want for dinner?"

Kouta lifted his head to reply, but Lucy planted him back in place. "No thank you. Whatever you make will be fine, Nana," she said pointedly.

Kouta let out a chuckle and dropped his head back. "Why do I get the feeling it's always going to be like this?" he asked.

Lucy looked down at him, and said, "No, it won't be." She got up and went over to his study material. Pulling out a sheet of paper, she wrote on it, then grabbed a piece of tape and stepped outside the door briefly. When she came back in, she threw her shirt to one side and climbed back up onto his lap.

Lucy kissed him and said, "We won't be disturbed again, for a little while anyway. Forget everything else, and do whatever you want with me."

They began kissing and fondling again. Feeling the bulge rise on Kouta's pants, Lucy unbuttoned and unzipped them. Moving back, her eyes went wide as he sprang out.

"Is this really OK?" Kouta asked.

Lucy nodded absently as she touched, then softly stroked him. "Wow, this is going inside me?" she asked softly as she played with him. Moving up against it, she laid his hard member against her skin, which caused Kouta to gasp. "It goes all the way up to my belly button," she marveled.

"Lucy..." Kouta said in a pant as he gripped her thigh. "Could you come closer?"

Lucy did, rubbing her groin against him as she leaned forward to kiss him. Faces flushed, they kissed long, deep kisses as their bodies moved together.

Mayu walked up the hall to Kouta's room to tell them dinner was on the table. She raised a fist to knock, then read the paper scrawled out in large script :

**It is Lucy's turn**

**RIGHT NOW**

**Disturb us and you will**

**DIE**

Mayu then heard a loud but velvety cry.

"Ahhhh ... Kouta! ... ohhhh ... ohhhh ..Nnn... NYUUUUUUUUU!"

She pulled her hand back and returned to the dinning room. Telling them dinner was ready could wait. She hoped Lucy would not be mad that Nyu had taken her turn.

PT 2

Yuka had waited patiently for Kouta and Lucy to come out for dinner.

They didn't.

She then kept some food ready for a 'late dinner', sure they would be out before bedtime.

They weren't.

In the morning, Yuka rose to find the kitchen raided, and Kouta sitting by the open door with Lucy right by him.

"I thought today was my turn?" Yuka asked as she watched Lucy kneeling by Kouta, staring intently at his arm that was bound in a cast.

"Right after I finish here," Lucy said tonelessly.

"Lucy is healing my arm, "Kouta explained. "It's working, or at least it's doing something. I can feel it."

Letting out a sniff of irritation, Yuka folder her arms under her bosom and said, "I'd like to go out for dinner tonight."

"All right. With two good arms, I can use crutches," Kouta said.

Lucy twitched her head in a shake, and said, "I can't promise that. This is harder than I thought."

"Because it's my turn?" Yuka guessed.

Lucy stood up and turned to Yuka. Her eyes held daggers. "I can't concentrate any more. I guess I'll try again tomorrow, when it's MY turn."

"Isn't tomorrow Nana's turn?"

"She gave her turn to me." Lucy said evenly. Turning back to Kouta, she said, "We'll do this later. Call if you need me." She then walked out.

Yuka gritted her teeth as Lucy walked past. Once she was gone, Yuka growled, "She did that on purpose."

Kouta let out a sigh and asked, "Can we please stop it with this 'turn' thing? I don't want to end up in the hospital again."

"Are you saying I can't have my turn?" Yuka asked as she glowered at him.

"I'm saying this is ridiculous!" Kouta cried. "Love is suppose to be between two people, one man, one woman, not one woman after another."

"You started it," Yuka stated.

Kouta scowled at her and said, "I did not! Nana was desperate, that Kita guy promised her the world, then left her hanging to run home to his pregnant girlfriend. By the time I realized ... anyway, that was a mistake. Just like when I laid down with you, I thought you were Lucy. It WAS her room."

"So, the only one you want is Lucy." Yuka stated as she balled her fists. "The fact I loved you and waited all those years to finally be you again means nothing?"

"No, it doesn't mean nothing," Kouta said with a groan. "I told you I really like you, but I do love Lucy. I don't think this 'sharing' thing is going to work."

"If we are OK with it, why wouldn't you be?" Yuka asked as she tipped her head to eye him. "Most men dream of having their own harem."

Kouta dropped his head and mumbled, "I don't have the energy for this."

"I do hope you have the energy to sit with me. That's all I want, to spend some uninterrupted time with you." Yuka stated.

"That would be good," Kouta agreed, offering Yuka a smile.

Yuka returned his smile. "Good, later then," she said and walked out.

Yuka went out to the kitchen to find Lucy doing the dishes. Actually, Lucy stood leaning against the table as the dishes did themselves. Yuka eyed the bowls getting washed and dried and stacked with no help as she moved over to stand by Lucy.

"How are you doing that?" Yuka asked.

"The same way I kept you from beating on Kouta," Lucy replied flatly.

"Right ... so you could beat him," Yuka said sarcastically.

The bowls all fell at once. One bounced off the counter. Before it hit the floor, it rose back up and splashed into the water. Lucy eyed Yuka and growled, "Would you like me to show you how I did that?"

"I didn't come here to fight," Yuka said quickly, trying not to let Lucy see her fear. "I think we should agree not to let Nana have any 'turns' with Kouta. She's too young."

"What does age have to do with it?" Lucy asked.

"HUH?" Yuka asked and her eyes went wide. "You must be joking! Nana can't be but what, Mayu's age? 14 is too young to be having sex!"

Lucy frowned in thought and said, "Nana isn't 14. Nana has only lived 7 years."

Gapping at Lucy, Yuka said, "That can't be!"

"It is. Nana is a silpelit," Lucy explained. "She ages twice as fast as we do. By the time Nana is ten, she will have been fully grown for at least a year. By twenty, half her life will be over. Don't you think she deserves to live as much as she can with the short time she has? If I can share Kouta with you, then I sure as hell am willing to share him with Nana."

"But ... that's ... just WRONG!" Yuka cried.

"Why?" Lucy asked as she finally turned her head to Yuka. "Because you don't think it's right? Is it beyond what you've been taught? We do not have a normal family here, but we ARE family now. I have a debt to Nana, and if I can help make up for it by sharing Kouta with her, if that will help make her happy, then I see nothing wrong with it."

"But ...but ..." Yuka said in a stutter.

"Nana gets her turns," Lucy stated. She then looked over at the sink, and the dishes began doing themselves again.

Yuka wandered off holding a hand to her head. What Lucy said couldn't be right. Nana had to be at least 14, nobody aged that quickly! Deciding on a test, Yuka called Nana and Mayu to check their height. A few weeks ago, Nana and Mayu were arguing over who was taller. Yuka had them stand against a post, and marked their heights. Nana had won by a mere centimeter. If what Lucy said was true, then Nana would be taller now.

Nana came running with Mayu right behind her. "We were just about to walk Wanta, really. We didn't forget." Nana said.

Yuka motioned them over to a post. "I want to check your height again."

"I'm going to win again!" Nana announced, and stood up against the pole. Mayu took her spot and lifter herself up on tiptoe. "I'll win today!" Mayu replied.

Yuka looked at them back to back, then checked to see if Nana was on her tip-toes. She wasn't. Standing flat-footed, Nana still was only slightly shorter than Mayu, who was on tip-toe. When she got Mayu down onto her heels, Yuka noted that now, Nana was visibly taller than Mayu, by three and a half centimeters.

"Nana wins," Yuka said in a far off voice. Ignoring Nana's cheer, and Mayu's tongue at her friend, Yuka also noted Nana's chest and hips seemed to have blossomed some too. The bra Yuka knew fit her properly when she bought it, was now straining against her back. Nana's breasts also looked a bit squashed.

"I get to hold Wanta's leash because I'm bigger!" Nana announced, and ran out.

"Wait! He's my dog!" Mayu cried, and chased after her.

Yuka shook her head in disbelief. By Nana's size, she had to be Mayu's age. The way she acted most of the time DID remind her of someone much younger. From Nana's rapid growth in size, what Lucy told her may be possible.

A noise and Kouta's curse caught her attention. Yuka searched to find Kouta struggling to stand up in the hallway, holding into a pair of crutches.

"Kouta, what are you doing?" Yuka cried as she ran over to help him up. Getting behind him and to the side, she supported him as he stood, and got the crutches under his arms.

"I have to walk so we can have the evening together," Kouta explained as he tried to take a step, and his arm with the cast slipped. The crutch popped out, but Yuka caught him before he fell again.

"Stop it! Let's go sit down. You're not ready for that yet," Yuka scolded.

"But, I don't want to disappoint you," Kouta explained, and tried to put the crutch back under his arm.

Yuka flushed at the thought that he was thinking of her. "Thank you, but you need to heal first. Come on, let's go sit down."

Angry at himself, Kouta grumbled, "I almost had it."

"Let's just sit and enjoy the day," Yuka offered.

Yuka sat with Kouta most of the day, and to her delight, they were bothered very little. Lucy took on most of the household duties with Nana and Mayu. At lunch, Yuka paid close attention to Nana. Yes, she did act much younger than she looked. The only thing that made her think otherwise was when Nana raced over to whisper in her ear.

"Make sure Kouta rubs you gently as he sucks on your nipples. That feels really, really good!"

Yuka gasped, but Nana had already bounced away to go feed Wanta. She cast a scowl at Kouta who innocently asked, "What?"

Planting her chin on her hand, Yuka grumbled, "This 'sharing' thing is hard."

Kouta shrugged. "Well, If it keeps the peace, I'll try my best."

"Pervert."

Kouta looked away and said, "Sorry."

To change the subject, Yuka asked, "What do you know about Nana?"

"Not much," Kouta said with a shrug. "Lucy says she's a silpelit, so she is going to age quickly. From what I understand, Nana can't have children of her own either. I feel sorry for her."

Yuka nodded. "Yes," she agreed vacantly. Thinking about Nana and Mayu, she asked, "Hey Kouta, you really want those girls to have the best life they can, right?"

"Of course. That goes for Lucy, and you too."

Yes, loosing his sister, Kouta did everything he could for all of them. Even playing the pervert, if that's what they needed him to do. She didn't know any details, but she did know every one of them had a tough life before they had come here. She leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. Flicking his cheek where she'd kissed him, she said grinned and said, "That's all you get for now, pervert."

"Gee, thanks," he said with a wry grin.

Yuka got up and said, "I'll go see if Lucy is too busy to try and heal you."

"But, what about your turn?"

Casting him a smile, Yuka said, "That's all for now. At least until you are healed up. Then, watch out!" she finished with a crooked grin.

Kouta had a decent day. Yuka was nice to him, and Lucy had managed to heal his arm and remove the cast before she became exhausted and fell asleep beside him in his room. Not wanting to disturb her, he got up and tried his crutches. Now he was able to hobble around quite nicely.

One thing that bothered him was the smell coming off his arm from it being enveloped in that cast. He went to the bath and stripped to his waist to wash. While he was washing, he heard a gasp behind him. He turned to see Yuka in her house robe, staring at him.

"Did you break your cast?" she asked, wide-eyed.

Holding up his arm to flex it, Kouta said, "No, Lucy healed it. It works fine now."

Her cheeks turning pink as she looked at him, Yuka said softly, "I should make sure you got all that stuff off. You missed some on the back of your arm."

"I did?" Kouta asked, and twisted his arm to inspect it. He swiped at it with the wash cloth and missed.

"Ohhhh, let me!" Yuka said sternly. Walking over, she knelt behind him and took hold of his arm and the wash cloth. At first, she dutifully scrubbed his arm clean. Then she washed his back slower, then put her arms around him to gently wash his chest. Panting, she opened her robe and leaned him back so his head was nestled between her breasts. Thinking about what Nana told her, Yuka said in a soft tone, "Kouta, you really made Nana happy. Could you show me how you did that?"

When Kouta turned to look up at her, she kissed him. As the kiss went on, they leaned back to lie down. He showed her what he did, and Yuka loved it. Her heart raced as he took her nipple into his mouth and he petted her softly.

"... I think I need new clothes, these got smaller," Nana complained as she and Mayu headed for the bath.

"Nope, you got fat," Mayu said, teasing her friend.

"I'm not fat," Nana said, "It has to be the clothes."

Mayu giggled and flung the door to the bath open as they walked in, and stopped short. In the middle of floor, Yuka and Kouta were lying down heavily involved with each other. Naked, Yuka lay on her robe and Kouta wore only his shorts.

"Hey! Do that in your own rooms!" Mayu yelled.

Kouta looked up, but Yuka screamed and scrambled to get her robe around her. In her scrambling, she punched Kouta in the eye.

Wincing as Kouta rolled away holding his face, Nana cried, "Be careful!"

Face flushed with embarrassment, Yuka yelled "Knock next time, KNOCK!"

"How were we to know you'd get perverted in here?" Mayu asked.

On a different track, Nana asked, "Yuka did he do it? Wasn't it great?"

Her face beet red and holding her robe tightly around her, Yuka ran out. Outside the doorway, she yelled in an angry voice, "Kouta, will you get dressed?" She then bolted down the hall to her room and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Owww my eye!" Kouta replied as he sat up.

Holding her towel tightly against her, Mayu looked at Nana and asked, "Please don't get perverted, we were going to bathe together."

"I won't, it's not my turn," Nana assured her, and went over to help Kouta.


	4. Chapter 4

Lucy used her new skills and finished healing Kouta while Yuka took Nana and Mayu shopping. The healing sapped Lucy's strength, but she was happy to just be alone with Kouta.

Once they got back home, Nana and Mayu tried all their new clothes on again to show Kouta and Lucy their haul. After modeling her last new outfit, a pink dress with white trim, Nana pointed at Kouta and announced, "I know what I want to do for my turn!"

Kouta shrunk in place, trying to hide. "Are we still doing that?" he asked with a groan.

"Yes!" Nana announced happily. "And for my turn, I want to take you and Lucy out shopping! We got new clothes and you didn't. It's not fair."

Leaning on Kouta, Lucy moaned, "I'm exhausted. We're doing this is tomorrow, right?"

Nana gave an exaggerated nod and said, "It has to be, the next day is Yuka's turn."

"That will really make me want to leave the house," Lucy mumbled to herself.

"There's nothing I need," Kouta countered.

"But ... it's my turn!" Nana cried indignantly.

Raising his hands in defeat, Kouta said, "OK, OK. How about we go get Yuka a few things too?"

"YES!" Nana cried happily, thrusting her arms in the air.

In the morning Lucy left Kouta's room, stretching her arms as she let out a long yawn. On her way to the toilet, she suddenly stopped, put a hand to her mouth and ran. Not bothering to knock, she burst in. Yuka was on the toilet, gapping at her. Rushing in, Lucy no more than made the sink, when she let go and vomited. She hurled again with a gaging sound that made Yuka queasy.

Once Lucy had finished dumping the contents of her stomach, Yuka handed her a towel. "Maybe you should stay home today," Yuka offered.

Lucy wiped her mouth and shook her head. "Nana is looking forward to ..." Stopping, she bent over the sink again and dry-heaved.

Lucy leaned on the sink and said with a groan, "This sucks! I felt fine until I got up."

Yuka eyed her. "You don't feel chilled or hot?"

"No, it just happened."

Yuka took note that after her bout of sickness, Lucy seemed to be her normal self. She also became worried, she knew what morning sickness meant. As Nana happily readied herself for the day's shopping, Yuka took Lucy aside in the kitchen.

"We need to go shopping, just us two," Yuka said seriously.

"I was going with Nana and Kouta," Lucy told her, wondering why Yuka would go shopping with her.

"This isn't a clothes shopping trip, we need to go to the drug store and get a pregnancy test for you," Yuka explained.

Lucy frowned at her at first, then her face opened up with a smile. "You think I might be having Kouta's baby?" she asked.

Wearing a serious face, Yuka said, "I hope not! You're too young ... you've never even gone to school, and we're still in school. You don't know how to take care of a baby."

"I'll learn," Lucy countered.

Frustrated, Yuka tried to calm her enthusiasm. "We don't know anything yet, but I do know we should find out for sure, today."

Only half listening, Lucy looked off at nothing as she pondered, "Yes, we should be sure before we tell Kouta. I hope it's a girl."

"You're going shopping with Yuka?" Kouta asked Lucy in disbelief. Ever since this 'turn' thing started, the two had been avoiding each other whenever possible.

Lucy nodded, smiling from ear to ear. "Yes, so go ahead with Nana and Mayu." She then gave him a quick kiss and bounced over to Yuka, who wore a more serious face. In fact, Yuka didn't look very happy. She gave Kouta a sour look as she announced she was leaving.

Confused, Kouta watched as they left. Lucy looked to be all but walking on air.

Nana was also pleased that now she would share her 'Kouta' day with Mayu. Not long after Yuka and Lucy left, Nana skipped down the walkway, holding Kouta's hand on one side, and Mayu's on the other.

The first place Nana steered Kouta to was a dress shop where Yuka had paused to look at a light, summer kimono. The girls agreed that Yuka would look cute in it, so they bought it, and another one for Lucy. Mayu had the next idea, and towed them to a men's store where they took turns holding clothes up to Kouta to see what would look best on him. Kouta quickly found himself becoming bored, but forced himself to look interested for the girls. It was the longest morning Kouta ever had.

Lucy came out of the restaurant bathroom wearing a frown. Sitting down at the tale, she showed Yuka the test strip. "You were wrong," she said sadly.

Yuka quickly hid the test strip under her napkin. "Good, I'll call my doctor tomorrow and make you an appointment," she said evenly.

"I'm not sick," Lucy said.

"This isn't because you are sick. It's for birth control pills," Yuka explained.

"Why?"

In a hushed voice, Yuka said, "So you won't get pregnant!"

Lucy eyed her, then stood up and said in a loud, firm tone, "I see, you don't want me to have Kouta's baby. I bet you want to be first!"

Yuka's face turned red as she noted people at other tables were now watching them. "That's not it, I don't want either of us to get pregnant," she said, desperately wishing Lucy would sit back down.

"So, you'll take those pills too?"

"Yes, will you please sit down," Yuka begged as loud as she dared.

"How do I know you'll take them? What's to stop you from having Kouta's baby while I swallow those stupid pills?" Lucy asked in a harsh tone.

People were not only looking at them, but were openly listening now. Yuka felt like crawling under her chair. "I swear ... we'll take them together. Please, sit down!"

Lucy sat, but her voice still carried through the restaurant. "I'll ask Kouta about it. IF he says WE should take them, WE will. You're not going to have Kouta's baby behind my back."

Hands to the sides of her face as she tried to hide, Yuka nodded quickly and said, "I won't, I swear. Let's have lunch and talk about this later."

"What's wrong with having a baby?" Lucy asked, pressing on despite the fact everyone was watching them.

"We're too young to be raising children," Yuka said in a hushed voice that still seemed to get to everyone's ears.

"What do you call Mayu?" Lucy asked with a wave of her arm. "We've already started a family. I'm sure Mayu would love to have a younger sister or brother. So would Nana."

At a table nearby, a wide-eyed man asked, "Excuse me, but both you ladies are seeing the same man?"

Lucy turned her head to him and nodded, saying, "We live with him."

"Lucky guy to have the both of you," the man said as he appraised Lucy and Yuka.

"It's NOT like that!" Yuka cried.

"Yuka, Lucy!" Mayu cried as she ran in holding a shopping bag. Holding the bag out, she said, "We got you the cutest kimonos, wanna see?"

Yuka pulled out a chair and bade Mayu to sit. Lucy looked at the door and asked, "Where's Kouta and Nana?"

"They had to go back and get you a pair of slippers. They will be here soon."

Lucy glanced at Yuka, then asked Mayu, "Would you like a little sister or brother?"

A smile spread across Mayu's face. "Really? Are you going to have a baby?" she asked too loud for Yuka's sake.

"Not yet, but we were talking about it. Don't tell Kouta yet," Lucy told her, pleased that Mayu liked the idea.

"Ohh, then we could get all kinds of cute baby stuff!"' Mayu said happily. Pausing to look at Lucy, she asked, "Will your baby have horns?"

"Yes, our babies will," Lucy replied.

Yuka looked up and asked tentatively, "Our babies? Meaning yours and Kouta's?"

"Ours as in mine, or yours," Lucy told her with a crooked grin.

"But... why?" Yuka asked.

Leaning closer, Lucy took joy in saying, "It's our destiny."

"Cool, I like Nana's horns, they look cute on her. Too bad you lost yours," Mayu said to Lucy.

"Excuse me, did you say 'horns'?" the wide eyed man asked.

Yuka flushed as she noted even the waitress was now watching and listening to them. "We should have this discussion at home," she said firmly.

A happy cry sounded from by the door. "Hey Lucy, guess what we got for you!" Nana yelled as she came in. Behind her, Kouta entered carrying a stack of boxes. He paused to set them down on by the coat rack as Nana raced over to the table. The wide-eyed man studied her, trying to see if she did have horns under her summer hat.

Nana presented Lucy with a shoe box and announced, "We got a lot of shopping done, and had a fun time with my turn. Try them on."

"Your turn?" the wide-eyed man asked Nana.

Nana glanced at him and nodded. "My turn with Kouta," she said, and sat down beside Mayu.

"PLEASE do not explain!" Yuka begged.

Glancing at Kouta, Lucy said in a low voice, "Girls, do me a favor. Don't say anything to Kouta about a baby yet, OK?"

Mayu nodded briskly, Yuka let out a sigh, and Nana perked up and asked, "What baby?"

"Not now, Nana," Yuka said in a tired voice.

Kouta was now coming over to the table. The wide-eyed man shot up from his seat and gave Kouta a thumbs up as he yelled, "You are my HERO!"

Kouta stopped and gaped at the man with a, "HUH?"

"Not two, but THREE lovely ladies, I am sooo jealous!" the man cried.

Letting out a nervous laugh, Kouta waved his hands and said, "It's not like that."

"HEHE, whatever you say," the man said with a wink.

"Pervert," a woman at another table grumbled at him.

Kouta figured something was going on. By the looks on their faces, there was something they were not telling him. The discussion turned to their shopping adventure, and the new clothes. Kouta also wondered why everyone in the place was watching him. It was the longest lunch he ever had.


	5. Chapter 5

Kouta had a weird, but awesome dream. It was Yuka's turn, and Yuka seemed to be making up for lost time. After 2 rounds of sex, she'd finally passed out in the middle of the third time and left him hanging. Nana, however, had wandered into his room, and more than finished him off. The fun of seeing her bouncing up and down on him with that intent look on her face was almost as good as the sex itself.

Coming around to a toasty warm, but groggy wakening, Kouta felt something hard dig into his chest right below his collar bone. He tried to shrug it off, but the hard object only shifted and dug in deeper.

Owww!" Kouta said in a wince as he opened his eyes to see what was digging into him.

Nana lay tight against his left side, her head on his chest. Her horn was digging into him. Her arm lay on his chest. Lying beside Nana's arm was Yuka's arm. Yuka lay curled up against his right side. His own arms were pinned down, he could feel their soft breasts and bodies trapping him in place.

It hadn't been a dream, and the spot where Nana snuggled her head into him was really beginning to hurt.

"Nana ... Nana, wake up," Kouta said softly, so he wouldn't disturb Yuka. He tried to wiggle and get some room to sit up. Nana and Yuka both pushed up against him, hugging him tighter.

"Nana, wake up," Kouta said again in a normal tone of voice. Her response was to let out a sigh and wiggle her head into him.

"NANA, WAKE UP!" Kouta yelled as he swore her horn was going to impale him.

Nana and Yuka both popped their heads up and looked at Kouta with bleary eyes, then each other.

"Nana, what are you doing here?" Yuka asked as she fully came awake.

"Me? It's my turn today." Nana said then let out a yawn and added, "Besides, you fell asleep."

"I have to go to the bathroom, " Kouta said.

"It was my turn last night, YOUR turn starts today." Yuka said, frowning at Nana.

"Well, it is today, so I'm right. It's MY turn!" Nana countered.

"I have to get up, I gotta go," Kouta told them.

Gripping Kouta to her, Yuka said, "Nana, your turn starts after breakfast. I can't believe you butted in on my turn."

Gripping Kouta as if to pull him to her, Nana said, "You fell asleep, you were done with your turn. I was next, so you are butting in on my turn," Nana explained

"I really gotta go," Kouta said.

"What I do during my turn is my business. Really sleeping does count!" Yuka said matter-of-factly. "Didn't you use your last turn to go shopping?"

"Yes, and we had fun too, right Kouta?"

"Nana, I HAVE to get up," Kouta said sternly.

"My point, Nana, is that this was my turn, no matter how I chose to use it," Yuka explained in an irritated tone.

"I didn't interrupt your turn, did I?" Nana asked.

"No, but it was MY turn," Yuka countered

Gritting his teeth, Kouta blasted out, "I GOTTA GO!" and forced himself into a sitting position.

Kouta scooched and wiggled out from between them as Yuka and Nana continued to argue over their current situation. They didn't seem to notice he had left as he shut the door behind him.

Kouta left the bathroom to meet Lucy standing by his door with a smirk on her face. "Morning, Kouta," she said in a musical tone. Inside, Yuka and Nana had their loud discussion not-quite yelling at each other.

"Morning Lucy," Kouta said. He paused and looked at his door. He really didn't want to go back in there. "Want to help me start breakfast?" he asked with a hopeful grin.

Lucy nodded, and wrapped herself around his arm as she led him to the kitchen. "Long night?" she asked.

Kouta let out a sigh and said, "This 'turn' thing is starting to cause problems."

Lucy frowned in thought, then said, "Well, then maybe you should put a stop to it. Or, I can decide who's turn it is."

Seeing the crooked grin on her face, Kouta winced, "I think that would cause even more problems. Mayu came up with this turn thing, and at least it's fair."

"Maybe you should decide who's turn it is," Lucy mussed aloud.

Coming to the kitchen, Lucy directed Kouta to get the tableware out as she began cooking. Shortly after, Nana burst in, looking about frantically.

"Kouta, I was scared you left!" Nana cried.

"Just helping to make breakfast," Kouta told her.

"Nana will help too!" Nana announced, and went over to help Lucy cook.

Yuka then came in. Lucy looked over at her and said in a sweet tone, "Relax, Yuka, we'll do breakfast."

Nana looked around and said, "Wait, I have to get Mayu up."

Yuka moved aside to let Nana race by her. Yuka glanced at the cupboard over the refrigerator then offered Kouta a warm smile. "I'll help Lucy, go relax." She then went over to Kouta, gave him a kiss, then walked him out the kitchen door.

Both Lucy and Yuka agreed to fill the plates in the kitchen, then take them out like waitresses did in a real restaurant. When Lucy left with Mayu and Nana's plates, Yuka reached up into the cupboard over the refrigerator and took out a pill. She quickly ground it up into Lucy's food, then picked up Lucy and Kouta's plates.

Lucy came back into the kitchen.

"I've got yours right here," Yuka said pleasantly.

Lucy eyed the remaining plate, then sported her own smile. "Thank you, Yuka, I'll get yours. No need for another trip," she said cheerfully. Lucy held the door for Yuka.

As soon as Yuka was on her way, Lucy picked up Yuka's plate. The same cupboard door came open, and a pill drifted down onto Yuka's plate, then ground itself into powder. Wearing an evil grin, Lucy took Yuka's plate out to her.

"But it's my turn, I want to sit by Kouta!" Nana complained.

Yuka let out a sigh, noting that on the end spot, Lucy's plate was waiting for her. "That's fine, I'll sit by Mayu."

Mayu moved over to the end seat and happily said, "This is good, I still get to sit by Nana."

Yuka's eyes went wide. "No, Mayu, just..." she then noted Lucy coming in. "That's Lucy's place," she said.

Lucy sat Yuka's plate down beside Kouta. "I don't mind, go ahead, Mayu." Nana then took the seat by Kouta. Lucy gulped and said, "Umm, Nana, that's Yuka's place."

As everyone sat down, Yuka reached out to switch Mayu's plate with Lucy's, who was going to sit beside her. Lucy reached out to swap Yuka and Nana's plates.

"What are you doing?" Kouta asked.

Lucy froze, not sure how to answer.

"Proper restaurant procedure," Yuka said with a nervous chuckle. "Each plate was made for a specific person."

"Yes, so we have to be sure everything is correct!" Lucy happily agreed.

"They are all the same," Kouta said, wearing a confused look.

Nana took a mouthful from hers and said, "We already got them let's just eat."

Mayu went to take a bite and Yuka cried, "NO!" She quickly switched Mayu and Lucy's plates.

"What difference does it make?" Mayu asked.

Seeing the blushed look on Yuka's face, Lucy looked down on her plate and said, "Yuka, did you do something to my food?"

"No, of course not," Yuka said as her cheeks blushed deeper.

As everyone looked at Yuka, Lucy used her vectors to switch Yuka and Nana's plates.

Nana did notice. "Hey, why'd you do that?" Nana asked.

Yuka also noted the plates moving. She eyed Lucy. "And what did you do to my plate?" she asked in an accusing tone.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Lucy stated.

Kouta let out a sigh and asked, "OK, what's going on?"

"Nothing," Lucy and Yuka chimed in unison.

Kouta looked at their plates, then reached over and switched them. "Then it's OK to do this?" he asked.

Horror was written on both girls' faces.

"Sure," Yuka said in a croak.

"It's fine," Lucy said, then swallowed hard. Recovering, Lucy perked up and said, "Come on, let's eat!" As she sat down, she sent out a vector to tip over the chair in the corner. When everyone looked, she swapped her plate with Yuka's. No one seemed to notice.

"That was weird," Yuka noted as she sat down. She then noticed her plate had a bite taken out of it. She had her own plate back. She cast a sour look at Lucy.

Lucy took a tiny bite, carefully tasting the fish. Yuka lifted a bit of food and smelled it. Neither seemed eager to eat.

Watching them, Kouta's face scrunched into a frown. "What is going on? Both of you put something in the other's food, didn't you?"

Mayu asked in a worried tone, "You're not trying to poison each other, are you?"

"Of course not," Lucy said confidently.

Relenting to the pressure, Yuka said, "The only thing I did was put Lucy's birth control pill in her food. I had noticed she wasn't taking them."

"Like you have been?" Lucy shot back sarcastically. "You want to be the first to have Kouta's baby, don't you?"

"I counted your pills, you haven't taken a single one by yourself!" Yuka shot back.

"Neither have you!" Lucy retorted. "That's why yours is ground up in your breakfast."

"As is yours," Yuka said, angrily eyeing Lucy.

"All right, enough!" Kouta said with a groan. "Yuka, Lucy, do me a favor. Give me your pills, and I'll be sure you both take them."

Not wanting to be left out, Nana shot a hand up in the air. "I'll take them! Mayu will too, right Mayu?"

"What?" Mayu asked as she gapped at Nana.

Kouta wiped a hand across his face. "You girls don't need them," he said in a tired sounding voice.

Suddenly, Nana clapped a hand over her mouth, shot up and ran for the bathroom.

Mayu eyed this then scowled at Lucy and Yuka. "Look what you did, you got Nana sick!" Mayu got up and ran after her friend.

Yuka eyed Lucy. "And that was for me, wasn't it?" She exchanged plates with Lucy.

"I swear, it was only our birth control pills, there was no reason for Nana to get sick," Lucy said defensively, then switched the plates back.

Nana returned with Mayu to the table. "Sorry," Nana said sheepishly. "I don't know what came over me. I have been feeling a bit queasy this morning, but it will go away."

Yuka stared at Nana. "You feel better as the day goes on?" she asked.

Nana nodded. "Yes, it was the same yesterday. I felt funny, but it went away."

Yuka's jaw dropped. "Oh no..." she said in a breath. "Nana, that guy that healed you..."

"Kita?"

"Right, did he heal ... everything?"

Nana tipped her head to the side and said, "I think so. Why?"

Standing outside the bathroom, Yuka held up the test strip that confirmed her worst fear.

Leaning over to get a look, Lucy noted, "This one is different. It has a blue plus sign."

Gripping the test strip in her fist, Yuka moaned, "WHY? Why does it have to be NANA!"

Arakawa sat in the doctor's office, patiently waiting her turn. As always, she hadn't had time for a bath before she was called to work. While she waited, she thought about the supposed 'diclonius sighting' reports she had received. The ones of a diclonius in a woman's department store shopping for clothes with another human girl, she had written off as wild rumor. Same as the restaurant tale of multiple diclonius sitting down to lunch with some humans. From everything she knew, if diclonius had been in either place, there would be plenty of mutilated bodies to confirm their presence.

The report from this doctor was different, and more realistic. Blood samples from a college girl and her younger sister. Both of which contained the dicloni virus. Yuka and Nana were something worth investigating.


	6. Chapter 6 YUka asks Arakawa a Favor

**Yuka asks A favor of Arakawa**

"Miss Arakawa, the doctor will see you now." the nurse said as she opened the door.

Arakawa rose and followed the woman to the doctor's office. There, the doctor confirmed the blood test results and gave her the names and address of the two sisters, Yuka and Nana. Nana being the one who was carrying a child. Arakawa thanked the doctor and went to give these poor girls the sad news. She really hoped they would not pull a fuss and cooperate, that would give her time to take a bath when she got home.

Coming up to the gate of 'the Maple Inn', Arakawa checked the address. This was the place. From the other direction, a school girl came skipping up to the gate.

"Excuse me, may I help you?" the girl asked.

Seeing the young girl, Arakawa asked, "You're not Nana, are you?"

The girl shook her head. "My name is Mayu." She then warily asked, "What do you want with Nana?"

"I am from the National Health Agency, I came to talk to Yuka and Nana," Arakawa explained. She wondered if she should arrange for this girl to be tested for the dicloni virus also.

Mayu nodded and opened the gate. Motioning for Arakawa to follow, she went in then shut the gate behind them. Going to the entrance, Mayu took her shoes off and announced, "Yuka, we have company. There is a lady here to see you and Nana!"

A young woman brown haired came into the entryway. "Hello, I am Yuka."

Arakawa bowed and introduced herself, then said, "I am afraid there is a serious problem with the pregnancy I need to talk with you and Nana about."

Yuka's face took on a worried look. "Oh no, Mayu, go get Nana, let her know someone came to see us."

Mayu ran off down the hall. Yuka motioned the other way. "Please, come sit. Is Nana's life in danger?"

"All your lives will be in danger, I would like to explain in detail once Nana joins us," Arakawa replied.

Yuka led Arakawa to the dinning room, and bade her to sit. She then called out the door, "Lucy, would you please bring three cups of tea? We have a visitor."

The name clicked with Arakawa like a gun being cocked. She then shook her head. She was imagining things, there was no way the murderous Diclonius named Lucy would be playing maid to a house full of humans.

Sitting down across from her, Yuka asked, "Is it Nana's age that's a problem?"

"If it were only that simple," Arakawa said with a sigh.

The door opened and Nana came in, wearing a wide brimmed summer hat. "Hi, you wanted to see us?" she asked cheerfully.

Arakawa noted Nana looked young, she guessed around 16, and also noted her strange hair color. She had thought that only true dicloni had such coloring. Possibly, Nana had much more of the virus in her than other people. Something tickled at the back of her mind, she swore she'd heard the name 'Nana' before.

Once Nana sat down, Arakawa looked at the sisters intently. "Yuka, Nana, I regret to tell you, but you have both contracted a deadly disease. Nana, you must have an abortion, then you and Yuka need to be sterilized. Possibly Mayu also."

"WHAT!" Yuka blasted out as her eyes went round.

Putting a finger to her lips, Nana asked, "What's an abortion?"

Yuka paled and said, "That seems a little extreme. We're not getting sterilized, and Nana is very happy about this baby."

The door opened. Arakawa didn't pay attention, she was intent on letting these girls know the dangers they faced. "Listen to me! This virus you have, this disease will end up killing you. For your own safety, you cannot have any children. They will be deformed, you need to end your pregnancy."

"You mean, like in they will have horns on their heads?" Yuka guessed.

"Exactly," Arakawa stated. Not stopping to think how Yuka could guess that, she pressed on. "Even if Nana goes full term, the baby will be taken away..."

"NO WAY!" Nana cried, interrupting her. Gripping her belly, Nana yelled, "I don't know what you said, but this is my baby. You're not taking it from me!"

Cups of tea floated down onto the table, then a voice sternly asked, "So tell me, just how does this disease kill?"

Shocked at the cups placing themselves down, Arakawa looked up and her mouth dropped open. She knew that face, that hair. Her horns were gone, but there was no mistaking the woman standing over her. THE Lucy was staring coldly down on her. The black and white maid's uniform looked very strange on her. It was a cute outfit, with a low cut neckline, frilly edges, and fishnet stockings, but she couldn't comprehend this deranged killer wearing a cosplay outfit.

"How..." Arakawa asked weakly.

"That's what I'd like to know too!" Yuka asked in a frantic tone.

"Lucy, here ...that isn't possible.." Arakawa stuttered.

"Nana, take your hat off, show her what's not possible," Lucy said in an even tone as she stared down on Arakawa.

It then hit Arakawa where she heard the name 'Nana' before. The missing number seven. She turned her head to see Nana take her hat off and expose her horns. Number seven was suppose to be a silpelet. "It ... can't be.." She had come to warn a pair of sisters about 'devils', and had walked right into the devil's den.

Nana looked up at Lucy. "She wants to take my baby away,"

"And make it so none of us can have children," Yuka finished.

"There is only one question now," Lucy said, "That being, where do we bury her body."

Heart in her throat, Arakawa tried to make sense of what she was seeing. Yuka obviously wasn't a diclonius, but she was living with the two missing -and presumed dead, diclonius. It also registered that they were going to kill her. "but..." she let out in a croak.

"Do we really need to kill her?" Yuka asked.

"She works for the men who tortured us, she needs to die," Lucy stated.

Frowning, Nana said, "I don't want anyone to take my baby, or stop you or Yuka from having babies, but can't we do something besides kill her?"

Lucy scowled at Nana. "Remember the bridge? All those attempts to kill us? If she lives, she will tell them, and they will come after us again. Right here in our house. Do you think Kouta, Yuka and Mayu would survive that?"

Heart slamming in her chest from fear, Arakawa shot up to run. She screamed as Lucy's vectors lifted her off her feet, and slammed her back in place.

"No running," Lucy spat at her.

"Take it easy, you're going to hurt her," Yuka scolded.

"Are you daft?" Lucy asked Yuka. "We're going to kill her."

Mayu came into the doorway. Frowning, she said, "Kouta should be home very soon. He'll know what to do."

"Please, don't kill me!" Arakawa wailed.

"How dare you beg like that, you are satisfied to die a coward?" Lucy growled at Arakawa.

"Lucy, NO!" Yuka snapped.

"At least not here, I just cleaned this room today," Nana added.

Lucy pondered for a moment, then said, "The garden then. Nana, would you dig a hole to put her in?"

"We can't bury her in the garden," Yuka said, horrified at the thought.

"In the entry path, under a stone?" Lucy guessed.

"I swear, I won't tell anyone!" Arakawa cried. "Please, I was just trying to help, I had no idea you were here."

Face screwed up in anger, Nana said, "You were perfectly fine with telling us we could never have children! How is that help? If you really wanted to help us, why not suggest we numb the children's vectors if we have to? Why not stress that treating them right, loving them, and teaching them that killing is wrong .." Balling her fists Nana yelled, "Why must death be the only answer to you people!"

"That is all they understand," Lucy stated.

Arakawa gapped at Lucy. There was a truth in what they both were saying. "But, you killed hundreds," she said weakly.

"Lucy?" Yuka asked, shocked at hearing that.

Lucy glanced at Yuka, then told Arakawa, "Nana's child will not be like me. Nana's child will not grow up alone and bullied. Nana's child will learn what is right and wrong. Nana's child will have a loving family to guide her. So will Yuka's children and mine. Too bad you won't be here to see it. Now, will you walk to the garden or do I have to drag you?"

Tears formed in Arakawa's eyes. Not just for her own impending death, but for those who she was beginning to learn DID have very human hearts. "I am sorry," she said weakly. "There is so much I don't know about you."

"Then why not stay and learn?" Yuka asked.

"What did you say?" Lucy asked, frowning at Yuka.

"Stay and learn," Yuka repeated. "Miss Arakawa, Nana is a fine girl, she'd never hurt anyone. Lucy hasn't hurt anyone since she's lived with us either. Don't you think that maybe providing a good home for these girls is a much better solution than sterilizing women, or hunting these girls down? Please, do me a favor and agree to live with us for a while. You can then see for yourself."

"Yuka, if she gets away, she will bring men with guns down on us," Lucy said sternly.

"I can't let that happen," Nana said sadly as she held her belly. "For the sake of my baby, I would kill her."

"She can have the room across from mine, the one next to the bath," Mayu offered.

"A bath?" Arakawa asked with hope in her eyes. "YES! I'd like to stay."

"As long as she stays in the house, you won't have to kill her, right?" Yuka asked.

Lucy glowered down on Arakawa. "Fine," she snapped, "But if she even gets near a door, she dies in small pieces. If she goes near the phone, she dies in pieces. If she pisses me off, she dies in pieces."

Nana looked at Mayu, then Lucy. "If that happens, we should pick the pieces up fast so Wanta doesn't get them. You know how he loves bones."

"Nana!" Yuka cried.

Nose in the air, Nana added, "And if someone does kill her, they have to clean up their own mess."

From down the hall, Kouta called, "Hey, what's going on in there?"

Mayu called back, "Lucy and Yuka are deciding whether or not to kill this lady."

"WHAT!" Kouta then came running. Appearing in the doorway, he looked down on Arakawa.

"I've seen you before," he noted.

"Yes, when the professor was killed," Arakawa said as she looked at Lucy.

"That's what he got for trying to rape me," Lucy said heavily.

Kouta came in and stood by Lucy to look down at Arakawa. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"She wants to kill my baby!" Nana cried.

"Who else knows we live here?" he asked.

"No one, I didn't know until I came inside," Arakawa said quickly.

"If she's lying, can I kill her slowly?" Lucy asked with a crooked grin.

Kouta put a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "No one's going to kill anyone yet, and no one's going to do anything to your baby, Nana. Please calm down."

"Kouta, if she stays with us, and learns that Nana and Lucy are not as bad as she thinks, then maybe we won't have to kill her," Yuka offered.

Arakawa nodded, "Yes, I'd like to stay and learn. And I bet your bath is really nice too!"

"Who's going to watch her?" Kouta asked.

"I will," Yuka said.

Lucy let out a snort and asked, "And can you catch her if she tries to run?"

"I'll do it," Nana offered.

"And what if she runs, but you can't bring yourself to kill her?" Lucy asked.

"With my baby's life in danger, I will kill her if I have to," Nana said wearing a serious face.

Mayu stepped in and said sheepishly, "Nana, I wouldn't want you to have to do that. I think it would make you really sad."

Lucy let out a huff and said, "All right, I'll do it." Pointing down on Arakawa, she said, "Do as I say. Take one step out of line, and you'll be plant fertilizer!"

Shrinking under Lucy's angry gaze, Arakawa said, "I understand. But, if I behave may I please have a bath?"

"Only when I do. I'm not letting you out of my sight," Lucy said heavily.

Kouta winced and said, "So, ummm, you're going to be busy tonight, huh?"

Lucy's face opened up. She cast Kouta a sad frown, then glowered down on Arakawa. "I think I'm really going to HATE you! You're already pissing me off."

"Lucy can't take her turn," Yuka said to herself thoughtfully.

"Don't even THINK about it!" Lucy snapped at her.

"Then Yuka shouldn't take her turn either, just to be fair," Mayu said.

"Me either?" Nana asked.

Mayu shook her head. "We have to be fair, right?"

Nana scowled at Arakawa and said, "I don't think I like you very much."

Arakawa looked at them and asked, "What's this 'turn' thing?"

"NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS!" Yuka, Lucy and Nana barked at Arakawa all at the same time.

Arakawa recoiled away from them. "I'm sorry," she said quickly.

"Don't be sorry, be useful. The kitchen needs cleaning," Lucy said, then moved aside and pointed to the door.

After Arakawa slunk between Kouta and Lucy, she heard Kouta say, "That costume does look real cute on you."

Lucy let out a sigh and said, "At least you like it. It sucks we can't play tonight. Well, someone needs to clean out that greasy vent over the stove anyway."

"I've been reduced to slavery," Arakawa whined with a sniff.

"Your option is to be plant food. Now move!" Lucy growled at her.

Arakawa went the way Lucy directed. Her mind was whirling from the twisted world she had fallen into. One bright spot lit her confused brain, they had their very own bath.


	7. Chapter 7Arakawa asks a favor

Arakawa lounged in the bath with a washcloth over her eyes. She let out a long sigh, enjoying her only luxury in the confinement she suffered.

"You've got five more minutes," Lucy said as she toweled herself off.

Arakawa's face scrunched up into a brief frown. Lucy, the homicidal diclonius, was her captor. For how angry Lucy's words were, Lucy had yet to strike her with one of her lethal vectors. "All right," she said with a sigh. Arakawa was sure that even if she did manage to escape, no one would ever believe that she had not only been near Lucy and lived to tell about it, but had also taken a bath with her.

A knock sounded on the door. Nana's voice drifted in. "We're next."

"Where's Yuka?" Lucy asked.

"She's in the study with Kouta," Mayu said.

"Time's up," Lucy said abruptly.

Arakawa felt something wrap around her chest. She was then lifted out of the bath. As she flailed and screamed, her washcloth fell away to show nothing holding her up. Lucy stood her on the floor, and a towel flew to her.

"Get dried off, move it!" Lucy barked.

Arakawa caught the towel. "But, you said I had five more minutes!" she complained.

"I changed my mind. Get dressed fast, or I haul you out of here naked."

Noting Lucy was putting on her nightgown, Arakawa hurriedly put her skirt on. Lucy headed for the door, and cast her a scowl. Arakawa managed to shrug her shirt on as something grabbed her arm.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Arakawa cried as she fumbled with her buttons. She HAD to get her buttons done up, seeing how she wasn't given time to put her bra on.

Lucy opened the door and let Nana and Mayu into the bath. Arakawa got most of her shirt buttoned up.

Mayu pointed to Arakawa and said, "You're shirt is mis-buttoned."

Arakawa looked down to see she'd missed by two button holes. Lucy then hauled her out. Stumbling into the hall, she asked pleadingly, "Please, at least let me get my shirt buttoned up."

"Do it along the way," Lucy stated.

"What's the rush?"

"None of your business, just move your ass," Lucy grumbled.

Fighting with her buttons, Arakawa looked up only enough to be sure she was right behind Lucy. Apparently, Lucy could use her vectors in other ways than instant death. She knew if she fell behind, Lucy would drag her along like a sack of garbage. She'd just taken a bath, she didn't want to get dirty before she was even dry.

That thought did stop Arakawa in her tracks. Gripping her head, she said, "Lucy, my hair is wet, it's dripping all ...ACK!" Her last sound was crimped off as a vector wrapped around her throat and pulled her forward.

"I'm coming!" Arakawa croaked as loud as she could. Stumbling along, she hurried up beside Lucy, hoping for the chance to breathe.

They came to the study. Lucy stopped just inside and bade Kouta a sweet sounding greeting. "Kouta, can I get you anything?"

Arakawa stumbled in just past Lucy. The pressure from her throat gone, she bent over to suck in a deep breath. Looking up, she saw Kouta and Yuka sitting at a table with their books open. They also were both staring at her. Arakawa looked down, and saw the whole top of her shirt was wide open. Her nipples poked out from the edges, both breasts clearly in view.

"Ghaaa!" Arakawa cried and turned around to clap her shirt closed.

"I ... ahhh," Kouta said weakly.

Lucy scowled down at Arakawa. "Trying to flirt with him, are you?" she asked in a heavy growl.

Arakawa gapped at Lucy in shock. "You didn't give me time to get dressed!"

"Kouta, you pervert! You just had to look, didn't you?" Yuka said accusingly.

"Sorry," Kouta said sheepishly.

"I can't believe you had the nerve to flirt with Kouta," Lucy said in a growl as her eyes changed.

"She did?" Yuka asked, then said, "The garden is fine to bury her in."

"Whoa, wait!" Kouta yelled as he stood up. "Lucy, she came in gasping for breath, I don't think she meant to do that. What have you been doing to her?"

Lucy turned her gaze to Kouta, her eyes returning to their normal color. "Less than she deserves." she stated.

"I did finally have a nice hot bath. Thank you," Arakawa said meekly. She prayed Lucy wasn't going to slice her up. At least, not until she got another wonderful bath.

"I let you get clean because you're sleeping in my room and I don't want you to stink," Lucy stated.

"Still, thank you," Arakawa said sincerely.

Yuka rose and said, "Lucy why don't you and Miss Arakawa sit? I'll go get us all some tea."

"I can help you," Arakawa offered, seeing a chance to get away from Lucy.

"No way, park it," Lucy said, pointing at the far seat. Noting Arakawa was still holding her shirt closed, she added, "Button your shirt first."

Once her shirt was buttoned up correctly, Arakawa sat where Lucy told her to. Feeling the cloth against her bare nipples, she crossed her arms over her chest. The last thing she wanted was Lucy thinking that she was flirting with Kouta. Which, was something that Lucy herself was engaged heavily in. Lucy took the spot next to Kouta, and moved closer to lean against him as she wondered how he was coming with his studies. With her breast against his arm, the only way Lucy could have gotten closer was if she crawled into in his lap. Lucy greeted Kouta's gaze with a bright smile – and an occasional glare Arakawa's way.

Yuka returned and passed out the tea, also was very pleasant to Kouta. Arakawa noted that even though it was obvious Lucy was flirting with Kouta, Yuka paid no attention to this, and cast flirts of her own at him. Unlike the instant rage Lucy exhibited when she though Arakawa was flirting with him, Lucy paid no attention to Yuka's advances.

Arakawa was burning to ask why Lucy didn't treat Yuka with the same hostility, but Lucy's random glares kept her quiet.

Wearing a pink robe, Nana came running in with a cry of, "Kouta, Kouta! You gotta feel this!" Racing around the table she grabbed Kouta's hand, opened her robe to show it was her only garment, and planted his hand on her belly.

"Can you feel it?" Nana asked cheerfully.

Kouta blushed and closed her robe. "You can't feel the baby yet, Nana, you just put on a few pounds," he explained gently.

Again, Arakawa noted that Lucy had no problem with Kouta obviously being the father of Nana's child.

Nana frowned and sat down on the floor beside him. "Aww darn! How long is it going to take?" she asked in a whine.

"A few more months before you'll be able to see anything," Yuka explained.

"Months!" Nana cried. "What's she doing in there all that time?"

"Growing," Kouta said.

"Nana, I'm going to pick up a baby book tomorrow. There is much we need to talk about anyway," Yuka told her.

Nana nodded to Yuka, and asked, "So, when can we go shopping for her?"

Mayu appeared in the doorway. "Nana, there you are! We're sleeping in my room, OK, Yuka?"

Yuka nodded and said, "That's fine. Don't stay up too late, you have school in the morning."

"We won't. Night everyone, come on Nana," Mayu said happily as she waved.

Nana bounced up, bade everyone good night, and left with Mayu.

Unable to take any more strangeness, Arakawa said, "May I ask a question?"

"Do you want to live?" Lucy asked in return.

"Lucy, please," Yuka scolded, then said to Arakawa, "Go ahead."

Seeing how he seemed to be the only rational one here, Arakawa directed her question to Kouta.

"How is it you can all live together? I mean, even normal women would scratch each other's eyes out if they both wanted the same man ... but two of yours are diclonius. This place should be wrecked, with blood everywhere."

"We're family," Lucy stated, "What we do is none of your concern."

"Lucy is right," Yuka added, "All these girls need a home, and someone to watch out for them."

"I won't send any of them away, they have been through too much agony already," Kouta said, then added, "Even if it does cause problems from time to time, everyone here needs to know they have a home. No matter what."

Arakawa's face opened up as she realized the truth. "You all truly love each other."

"But we don't even like you, so watch your ass," Lucy said heavily.

"She is trying to learn about us," Yuka said in Arkakawa's defense.

Pointing to Arakawa, Lucy said to Yuka, "SHE would gladly have our house attacked by those murdering bastards. Keeping her alive is a danger to us all!"

"You promised not to kill her as long as she stays with us," Yuka reminded Lucy.

Lucy's face crooked into an unpleasant smile. "I know," she said calmly, "And before long, she will try to flee, or contact someone to rescue her. When she does, our agreement no longer applies. Don't worry, I'll make sure she dies quietly."

Lucy then gave Kouta a peck on the cheek and rose. "Come on, bed time," she said just as calmly.

"I think I'm about done for the night too," Kouta said with a yawn.

Shivers went up Arakawa's spine as she followed Lucy. Somehow, when Lucy had spoken calmly, it terrified her more than all of the growling and yelling.

Lucy put Arakawa's futon against a wall, far from the door or windows. Lucy herself laid down in the middle of the room between Arakawa and any form of exit.

Feeling she had to say something so Lucy wouldn't kill her in the middle of the night, Arakawa offered, "I would very much like to learn the truth about you. Please, let me live long enough to learn the truth."

"Lie down," Lucy ordered.

Arakawa did so, getting under the covers. Propping herself up on one elbow, she said, "I really want to ..." Suddenly stars flashed in her eyes as something hit her hard. She fell limp, knocked cold.

"And good night to you, too," Lucy grumbled, then left to go see Kouta.

Arakawa came around with a pounding headache. Voices drifted to her as she winced from the pain.

"I really appreciate WHY you did it, but please don't do that again," Kouta said.

"How else was I to spend some time with you?" Lucy asked softly.

Opening her aching eyes, Arakawa noted she was in bed. On Lucy's futon, Kouta sat up, holding Lucy in his arms as she laid up against him. Her arms were over his, hands intertwined.

"So, how long before I have to stop taking those pills, and it's my turn to have a baby?" Lucy asked.

Kouta shrugged and said, "Let's support Nana before we think about that. She is going to need a lot of help."

Sporting a cute frown, Lucy looked up at Kouta and said, "I really wanted to be first you know. I've known you longer than anyone."

Kouta chuckled and said, "No one knew Nana could get pregnant. Besides, Yuka has known me a bit longer," he teased.

Letting out a playful growl, Lucy sat up and turned to him. "OK, so I'm next, right? I already have a name planned. Kanae, that is if it's OK with you. In honor of your little sister," she said, saying the last part sheepishly.

Kouta was quiet for a moment, then reached up and cupped her face. He kissed her and said, "Thank you."

Wanting to hear better when was going on, Arakawa pulled herself up to lean on her elbow – which shot more pains through her head. "Oww!" she complained.

"Oh great, the wicked witch awakes," Lucy grumbled.

"Are you OK?" Kouta asked as he looked over at Arakawa.

Seeing the scowl Lucy was giving her, Arakawa held up a hand, "I'm be good I swear! Please don't hit me again."

"Be happy I haven't killed you yet," Lucy shot back at her.

Kouta eyed Lucy and asked, "Is it really OK for you to be watching her?"

"No, it's not even OK that she's here. But since she is, someone capable has to do it." Lucy said.

Kouta nodded briefly. "I realize that. Just try not to hurt her unless she does something."

Lucy gave a begrudging nod, then planted a kiss on Kouta's lips. "I will try," she said. She then leaned over and whispered in Kouta's ear.

Kouta's face blushed, and he laughed. "That sounds like fun. I have to get to bed now."

Lucy opened her mouth to say something, then cast a glare at Arakawa. "If SHE wasn't here, you could just lay down with me," Lucy noted with an acid tone.

Kouta gave Lucy a hug, kissed her, then said, "I'm off to bed. Don't worry, things will work out."

Arakawa watched Kouta leave. The second he was out the door, Lucy's pleasant demeanor shifted. She turned to glare at Arakawa and said, "Wasn't enough to put you out all night, HUH?"

"I'm sleeping!" Arakawa said quickly, flopped down and shut her eyes.

Arakawa didn't think she could sleep. She knew better than to move, other than rolling over, else Lucy would whack her in the head again. Spending her time thinking, she puzzled about the strange relationships of this house. So far from what she gathered, Lucy, Nana and Yuka all were intimate with Kouta. Yet, being diclonius, Lucy or Nana shouldn't even be here.

By every account she read and the findings of the institute, that girl Yuka should be splattered all over the back yard along with Mayu. If Lucy's primary goal was for Kouta to sire a child for her, then why did she allow Nana to do so first? If reproduction was Lucy's main goal, then there was no reason for her to allow Yuka to live, let alone share an equal footing with her in this house. Again, Yuka should have died the moment Lucy laid eyes on her.

She realized that no one had found either of the missing diclonius just for this reason. No one could comprehend that they would settle into a house inhabited by humans, and live peacefully. The watches were in rural areas, where a diclonius could hide in secret. Not in heavily populated areas. Was that Lucy's plan? She couldn't even believe Lucy had planned it, for their intermingled relationships were too honest to be faked.

Another thing bothered her as well. She heard that Lucy had known Kouta a long time, but how was that possible? Lucy had been captured eight, almost nine years ago. Had they been childhood friends or sweethearts? Even that didn't make any sense, because back then, the trail of bodies and dicloni infections was how they found Lucy.

Arakawa's thoughts drifted to all of them together as Nana had Kouta feel her belly for presence of the baby. A baby Nana shouldn't be able to have. Lucy, the lethal diclonius killer, sat by as her boyfriend felt the bare belly of another woman. Her memory shifted, and Nana doft her robe to sit on his lap. Lucy also shed her clothes and began hugging and kissing him while Yuka looked on with a satisfied smile...

"UP!"

Arakawa awakened to find herself being lifted up. She felt like straps had been attached to her as she rose. Not remembering where she was, she flailed to get away from some attacker, and found Lucy glaring at her. She then remembered the previous day.

"I can get up myself," Arakawa complained as she struggled to get her feet under her.

"What's your point?" Lucy asked.

"You just don't have to be so rough with me, that's all," Arakawa countered.

Wearing a blank face, Lucy walked up stand toe to toe with her. "You're right. You only came here to kill Nana's baby, and prevent any of us from having children. Perhaps I should be more respectful of you, say chain you naked to a wall and shoot cannons at you. Or maybe wrap you in armor and hang you from a post in some steel bunker. That is confinement you could understand, yes?"

Arakawa paled as she stood gazing into Lucy's angry eyes, wishing to be anywhere else but here. "I had nothing to do with any of that," she said weakly.

"If you had, then even my family wouldn't be able to save you. Move," Lucy growled.

Arakawa wished she could at least go to the bathroom by herself, but Lucy was ever present. She got a brief reprieve at breakfast, she was allowed to eat in peace as Nana proclaimed Yuka a genius for making the apple crisp so tasty. Lucy's attentions were turned toward Kouta. Mayu, the young girl Arakawa thought had no business being here, talked about her schoolwork and tutoring Nana so one day, Nana could join her in class. The more Arakawa listened, the more they sounded like any other family – with a strange bit of twist.

"No, you can't do that," Nana suddenly said to Yuka. "Lucy lost her turn so we have to also. I'll go shopping with you. We're going to go get that baby book, right?"

"That's right. We'll learn all about babies together," Yuka assured her.

"Since the turns can't happen any more, we don't need to take those stupid pills, right?" Lucy asked off hand.

"Yes, we do," Yuka said evenly. "No turns doesn't mean..." glancing at Arakawa, she finished with, "Anyway, we still need to take them."

Nana frowned at that. "You know Yuka, it's not fair that I'm having a baby, and you're not."

"Tell me about it," Yuka grumbled.

"Oh no, I'm next," Lucy said, eyeing Yuka.

"We really can't afford to have three babies all at once," Kouta said. "If it wasn't for us thinking Nana couldn't get pregnant, Nana wouldn't be having one now."

"But I'm happy I am!" Nana chirped.

Lucy cast a Nana a dark look that wasn't quite a glare. "We know."

Yuka let out a sigh and said in a forced cheerful voice, "Well, if Kouta wasn't such a pervert, then we wouldn't have to worry about it. But since Nana is having a baby, let's all do our best for her!"

Once again, Arakawa felt the need to say something. "It's not like Kouta forced any of you is it?" Seeing all eyes shift to stare at her, she mumbled, "OK, I'll shut up now." She dropped her eyes to her plate.

"Kouta would not do that!" Mayu yelled as she hit the table with a fist.

At Mayu's outburst, Arakawa looked up to see Mayu glaring at her with tears in her eyes. "Kouta is a GOOD father! How DARE you accuse him of those things!" Mayu yelled.

"Mayu, calm down," Yuka said.

"NO!" Mayu screeched. Pointing a finger at Arakawa , she yelled, "You come here to cause trouble, now you're accusing Kouta of being a bad man. I WON'T HAVE IT! Why don't you just GO AWAY!"

Lucy put a hand on Mayu's shoulder, "Mayu, hon, calm down. She's an idiot, she doesn't know any better."

Nana hugged Mayu. "It's OK, Mayu. We all know Kouta is the best father in the world. What she thinks doesn't matter."

Arakawa watched as they grouped around the sobbing Mayu. Holding onto Mayu on her side, Lucy cast Arakawa a frighteningly calm stare, and said, "You just pissed me off. After breakfast, we're talking a walk."

"Where to?" Yuka asked tentatively.

Keeping her eyes riveted on Arakawa, Lucy said, "Just a short one. No need to worry."

"Oh god," Arakawa whispered. This was it, she could tell by the look in Lucy's eyes. Lucy was going to take her outside and kill her.

In a rough tone, Nana said, "I'll do it." Looking at Arakawa sadly, she said, "Lucy has been very good and trying very hard. I can't let her start killing again."

"Nana, you don't have to." Lucy told her.

"Yes, I do." Nana stated.

"Nana, Lucy, we don't have to kill her," Kouta said.

Nana looked at Kouta sadly. "I wish that were true. I hate the idea of it, but that woman is a danger to us all. She can't stay here forever, and she if she leaves, then she will bring those awful men down on us. " A tear formed in Nana's eye as she looked at Arakawa. "WHY did you have to track us down?"

"I... didn't mean to." Grasping at anything to keep from dying, Arakawa said, "I can see you are a true family, and love each other very much. We hadn't thought diclonius could do that. PLEASE, not only for my sake, but for the sake of any other diclonius out there, let me live. Let me go tell people that you are just.."

"Shut up," Lucy said calmly. Arakawa quickly complied.

Nana rose and said, "Lucy, if you could keep everyone else here, it would be easier for all of us."

"Oh dear," Yuka said in a sob as she hugged Mayu.

Mayu lifted her tear stained face and said, "Nana, please don't. Not because of me. I don't want you to be sad."

Nana offered a sad smile to Mayu and patted her head. "Not because of you Mayu, but because of the danger she carries. I'm going to be a mother, Mayu. If I can't do my best to protect my own child, what kind of mother will I make?"

Kouta, who had been deep in thought, suddenly announced, "I've got it! Nana, please go get Miss Arakawa's things together. Yuka, we still have most of that bottle of saki left, don't we?"

Yuka eyed him. "What does saki have to do with Miss Arakawa?"

Enlivened, Kouta told Lucy, "Just keep her here, Yuka could you get the saki?"

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked.

Kouta grinned at her, then went around the table and whispered in her ear. Lucy glanced at Arakawa, and giggled. "That might just work," she said with an evil grin.

.

.

Arakawa stood before the director with a throbbing headache. The director sat in his chair, eyeing the reports with a stonic face.

"So," he said in his gravely voice, "You claim you went to an Inn where you found Lucy and number seven living with a human male, and two other human females."

"That is correct, sir," Arakawa said.

"Number seven is pregnant with a child, and you have evidence that this man is not only father to number seven's child, but is also having intimate relations with a human girl AND Lucy all at the same time, and they all agree to this?"

"Yes sir, they do bicker between themselves, however,.."

"And you were found passed out drunk after a man called in your whereabouts." he stated heavily.

"Sir, that man and Lucy made me drink three quarters of a bottle of saki. I had no choice, it was drink or die." Arakawa insisted.

Slamming the reports down on his desk, the director scowled at her. "Don't you realize how ludicrous that sounds? I'll tell you what happened! The man that called said you had spent the night at his place. You made a total fool of yourself and insisted he make love to you while you wore a pair of fake horns, wanting him to call YOU Lucy! After you passed out, he found your phone and called here, then carried you down to the bench where we found you. He wanted no more involvement with you, and begged to remain anonymous. "

"But, sir! That man is Kouta, Lucy's lover."

"You are a sick woman!" the director roared.

"In my purse is the address where they live, I am not lying!" Arakawa insisted.

"We checked everything in your purse," the director said. "The only address we found was of a hotel, near the place where we found you. We also found a headband with fake horns attached. DO NOT attempt to carry this charade any further."

"But ... Nana, I mean number seven's baby.." she said weakly,

"A silpelit having a child. Think about that claim for a moment, Miss Arakawa."

"I'm not lying, I can take you there!" Arakawa cried.

Studying her, the director said, "Maybe you believe you're telling the truth. That is the sad part." He picked up the reports and stuffed them in an envelope.

"Sir, please believe me. Diclonius are not how we think they are. Lucy was very protective of the others she calls family, even though they are humans. I know this sounds very strange, but it's the truth!"

Shaking his head, the director said, "Miss Arakawa, you will report to the mental health ward and check in. They are expecting you."

"But ... "

"That will be all, Miss Arakawa. You are excused. The men outside are waiting to escort you."


	8. Chapter 8Nana asks for a trip PT 1

**Nana asks for a trip**

**Part 1**

Sitting in a chair with her stomach bulging out in front of her, Nana looked though the baby book again. Frowning as she flipped through the pages, she noted Yuka enter with a duster.

"Hey, Yuka, it doesn't say anything in here about babies making it hard to walk," Nana complained. "How do girls without vectors get up and down when the baby gets this big?"

Yuka let out a chuckle and said, "It's not easy, Nana. Be thankful you have your vectors to help you. It is very difficult."

Nana offered a smile to Yuka and said, "Don't worry Yuka-sama! When your turn comes, Nana will help you up and down."

As they shared a smile, Nana's face suddenly went blank. She looked outside, and said, "Someone's coming."

Yuka looked out, and listened. Not seeing or hearing anyone she asked, "Another diclionius?"

Nana grunted up, picking herself up with the help of her vectors. A young couple appeared at open gate. The man had a large square bag hanging from his shoulder with baby gear in it. The woman was holding a baby. The woman saw Nana and in a grumble said, "Kita, tell me that is not yours too."

"No, no!" Kita said with a wave of his hands. He then waved to Yuka and Nana. "Hi Nana-san, Yuka-san. May we enter?"

Nana stayed silent, so Yuka went out to meet them. "Yes, please come in and introduce us."

The woman was Yoko, Kita's wife. Although Yoko was a normal human with dark hair, the baby girl in her arms bore orange colored hair and stubby little horns. Yuka bade them to sit, then cooed over the cute little baby.

Nana wasn't so pleasant. She moved to the other side of the table from him. "What can we do for you, Kita?" she asked abruptly.

Kita smiled and said, "It's what we can do for you, Nana-san." He then pulled out two envelopes. Laying each down, he explained. "This one is five airline tickets to Sapporo, this one is contact information on the ones who will meet you there. All the arraignments are made, all you need to do is call and verify your travel."

Yuka eyed the envelopes and asked, "Sapporo is way north, on Hokkaido. Why should we go there?"

Yoko spoke up and said, "That is where we went when I had Minori. They are very kind, and well schooled in how to care for horned children. The villagers are dicloni themselves, they can teach you many things you'd not otherwise learn."

"There are many others of us around, Yuka-san. We learned of Nana's pregnancy from ... a secret contact. Please keep this information to yourselves, it would be very bad if the wrong people found out about it," Kita told her.

"I was surprised how many like Kita there really are," Yoko added. "It is a bit cool there, but it would be very beneficial for all of you to go."

"Really?" Nana asked excitedly. "Ohhh Yuka, please say we can go!" she asked, balling her fists in front of her.

"We will discuss it," Yuka assured her. "But Sapporo is so far north..."

"Take heavy clothes, even though it's summer. And be happy Nana isn't due in the wintertime," Yoko said with a crooked grin.

Yuka bowed and said, "Thank you very much for this information. It depends on when these tickets are for."

"They are open, just call and make the reservations as the instructions tell you in the envelope," Kita assured her. "It is for Nana's, and all your best interests to go."

Yoko stood up and gave a slight bow. "We wish you and your family well, Yuka-san. Come, Kita. No need for you to loiter around these pretty girls."

.

.

"Sapporo?" Kouta asked with a frown, looking across the dinner table at Nana.

"Yes," Yuka said from beside him. "Kita stopped by, I'll show you the tickets and instructions. From what I understand, they deliver horned children on a regular basis. Going to the doctor here with Nana is getting troublesome."

"I'm surprised they haven't been attacked yet," Lucy said.

"That's why they are very careful," Nana pipped up. "If those people at the facility knew, there would be trouble. Kouta, please say we can go."

"I think we should go, I want to see this place," Mayu said eagerly.

Kouta shrugged. "It would make sense to go. The tickets are paid for, and I can get a leave of absence from work. We should be back before school starts again, so no problem there."

"Yippeee!" Nana cried, thrusting her hands in the air.

"I'd like to see this village," Lucy agreed.

"Then it's agreed, we're going!" Nana said triumphantly.

Kouta dialed the phone number on the instructions. He had to wonder about some of the things he had to say, for it sounded strange given their destination.

"Hello, Tropical Destinations, may I help you?" a woman said sweetly.

Kouta read his response. "Yes, this is Mr. Goto, I have a reservation for five to your private island."

"Yes, Mr. Goto, we have you in the computer. When would you like to depart?"

"A week from Saturday would be perfect," Kouta said, then frowned at his next pre-written response. "I would like to request one Geisha for entertainment."

"Very well, Mr. Goto. Your request is being processed. How many children in your party, sir?"

"Two children, three adults," he replied, noting that 'children' was a code for diclonius.

"Will you need a taxi to pick you up, Mr. Goto?" the woman asked sweetly.

"Yes, please." Kouta was dying to give her their address so the taxi knew where to go, but the instructions specifically said not to.

"Very good, sir. The taxi will arrive at noon on your day of departure. Is there anything else, Mr. Goto?"

"No ma'am. Thank you."

"Thank you, sir. Good day."

"Well?" Yuka asked as Kouta hung the phone up.

"I think I just made reservations for a south-seas island," Kouta said as he looked at the last instruction that read : Upon completion, burn this paper. "This is like in those spy movies," he mussed.

"I'm sure they have to be very careful," Yuka said, then took the paper.

.

Kouta was expecting a large airliner as they checked into the airport towing their luggage. The counter of 'Tropical Destinations' was as large as the other airline counters, but only one other couple stood at the check-in counter. As they approached, the young pregnant woman with the knit cap who was holding her man's arm turned to eye them.

"She's one of us," Lucy noted.

The woman nodded to them, and returned listening to the lady behind the counter. Their luggage was whisked away, and they exited through a door to the side.

Kouta went up to the counter, noting the palm trees and sandy beach mural that filled the wall behind the counter. "Mr. Goto, party of five," he said.

"Greetings, Mr. Goto. Tickets, please?"

The lady checked their tickets, then took their luggage. She handed them boarding passes, then motioned them to the door the other couple had gone through.

The door led to a small hangar that a Leer jet sat in. A stewardess at the door to the plane greeted the couple ahead of them, then motioned Kouta's group in with a greeting of "Welcome aboard" to each person. Kouta noted their luggage being loaded on. Actually, the man loading the luggage stood by while the bags loaded themselves into the plane.

The couple sat together. Yuka sat with Kouta (it was HER turn), and Mayu, Nana and Lucy all took window seats. As the stewardess gave them flight instructions, the man who'd been loading the baggage came in, shut the door, then traded his work jacket and hat for a airline pilot's jacket and hat. He bid them a "Welcome aboard everyone," then went into the cockpit.

In front of Kouta, Mayu turned around in her seat and looked over the back to tell Kouta, "This is sooo cool! I've never rode in a plane before."

"Do these things go fast?" Lucy asked as she looked out her window, across the isle from Yuka and Kouta.

"Yes, this plane does fly pretty fast," the stewardess said brightly.

Lucy gapped at her. "Fly?" she asked.

.

On the runway, the plane picked up speed, then tipped it's nose up and rose into the air. As it left the ground, Lucy's screech filled the air. "KOOOUUUTAAAA!"

Yuka's cry followed right after. "Hey! Get off his lap, it's MY turn!"

.

The pair of four-wheel drives with oversized tires climbed the last of the rugged mountain path into a large courtyard surrounded by stone and wood buildings. Everyone wore thick clothing and fur hats. Children in brightly colored clothes played on the other side of a curb marking off a parking lot for vehicles. Kouta noted a game of tag was going on. Children ran, but also flew to get away from the one who was 'it'. A few adults monitored the game. One man came over as they got out.

Kouta got out, and helped a frazzled Lucy to her feet. Looking at him pleadingly, she asked, "When we go back, can I please get myself home?"

Mayu bounced out beside them. "That was cool, bumpity, bumpity, bump!" she giggled as she jumped up and down to mimic their ride.

Nana and Yuka, both a little pale, did not share Mayu's enthusiasm. They exited the other vehicle with the couple they now knew as Victor and Setzu. Victor being the European who married a very unusual Japanese bride.

"I need to sit down," Nana said, and took a seat on the curb.

"We've just were sitting," Victor said with an amused grin. He recoiled as the back of his hair fluffed up from a whack on the head.

Setzu eyed him. "Victor-sama, you can't call what we just went through 'siting'. I've been to amusement park rides that were calmer."

Their driver chuckled and pointed to a higher mountain looming nearby. "Just be happy we didn't have to go all the way up on Mount Pososhiri."

"At least the roof was padded, we didn't hurt our heads," Yuka said in a tired voice.

"Greetings guests!" A man announced with his arms wide. "I am Honshu. Now let me guess," he said as he eyed them. Frowning in thought, he pointed to Setzu, and said, "You must be Setzu, and Victor. This lovely little lady below me must be Nana," and pointing to Yuka, he added, "Lucy," then pointing to Lucy he asked, "Yuka?"

"I'm Lucy, that is Yuka," Lucy said correcting him.

"My apologies," Honshu said with a deep bow. "With these caps on, I do make mistakes from time to time. He then correctly named Kouta and Mayu. Clapping his hands, he said, "I am happy to see all of you made it safely here. Please follow me to your rooms. The drivers will bring your luggage. Once you're settled, Lady Hakata will see you. This way please."

Yuka was the least thrilled that Kouta and Nana were assigned to the same room, while she was bunked with Lucy and Mayu. Once their things were taken care of, they went down and had a welcoming meal served by four diclonius women in kimonos. Besides having colorful nails and made up faces, their horns were lacquered light blue to match their dress. The formal meal was served at a long dinning table in a room where the silkscreens covering the walls depicted village life and events. Brass braziers near the corners of the room provided heat and some light. A pair of chandeliers equally spaced over the table shown with candlelight from the encircling candlesticks. Victor was seated beside Setzu on one side of the table. Across from Victor and Setzu, Kouta and Nana were seated. Lucy was sat down on the other side of Nana, Yuka and Mayu were seated on the other side of Kouta.

At the end of the meal, Victor and Setzu were called first to go see Lady Hakata. One of the waitresses showed them the way.

Studying the silkscreens, Nana pointed to one of a parade. "Do people here all line up like that to walk from one place to the other?" she asked.

The waitress nearest Nana chuckled and said, "That is a wedding parade, Lady Nana. Such parades are used to mark important events in one's life. After the ceremony at the temple, the priest leads the newlyweds to the celebration hall. The people follow to give their blessings and celebrate the new union. I take it you and Sir Kouta did not have such a parade?"

Nana shook her head. "We didn't have a wedding or a parade, but it looks like fun!"

The woman's mouth dropped open. She stared at Kouta. "You never married Lady Nana, sir?" she asked in disbelief.

"Umm, no," Kouta said, shying back from her gaze.

"Hold on, right there," Lucy said evenly. "Nana beat me to ... everything so far. Nana can't get married until I do, FIRST!"

The waitress blushed and said, "Lady Lucy, your man should have come with you. Sir Kouta and Lady Nana must be wed before Nana's child is born."

"HUH?" Kouta and Yuka said in a gasp as they gapped at the woman.

Putting a finger to her lips, Nana said, "This could get complicated. But I think Lucy is right, she should be married first."

"Your man is arriving soon, then?" the waitress asked.

Flicking her eyes at Kouta, Lucy stated, "He's already here."

The eyes of all three waitresses widened as they stared at Kouta. The waitress in front of Nana recovered, and said in a forced- calm voice, " I see. Well, it is not ... unprecedented for a man to take two wives of the sect, since the number of males available has proven to be low. Perhaps you could speak to Lady Hakata about a dual marriage for both of you."

"And where does that leave me?" Yuka asked loudly in Kouta's ear, causing Kouta to wince.

The waitresses gasped. Mayu leaned over and asked Nana, "So that means you and Lucy will be my mothers? What about Yuka, she's my mom too."

One waitress abruptly left the room. The one speaking to them flushed deeper. "Now, this IS unprecedented," she said. Collecting herself, she said, "Excuse me, I will see if Lady Hakata is ready to receive you."

The last waitress left with her.

Kouta noted the very unhappy gazes he got as they left. "I think I'm in trouble," he groaned.

"Big trouble," Lucy agreed. "Each one of the women here I sense is very powerful. If they decide to become violent, we have little chance of escape."

"Kouta, I'm sorry, we shouldn't have come," Nana said as she looked at him sadly.

Stiffening himself, Kouta shook his head and said, "That is not right, Nana. We came to support you, and support you we will! I am sure we can work this out with Lady Hakata."

"I am sure you'd better flee, Kouta, and take Yuka with you. I can stay and deal with Lady Hakata," Lucy stated.

"No," Kouta said firmly. "I'm not going to leave you here alone, Nana either. Yuka can take Mayu and.."

"Yuka will not!" Yuka said firmly. Balling her fists, she loudly said, "This family has been through so much! Even though I was not there with you, Lucy and Nana that day, I know you all fought hard so we can be a family. I am not going to leave ANY of you behind. Stay or go, we do it together!"

"But, Yuka," Kouta said softly.

"Together, right Lucy?" Yuka asked.

Lucy offered Yuka a small grin. "We stand as a family," she agreed.

A waitress came in and stood by the door to announce, "Lady Hakata will see you now. This way, please."

.

Ushered into a small room where five pillows faced a straw mat bracketed by tall candles, they were directed to kneel on the pillows as they had been seated at dinner. Mayu, Yuka, Kouta, Nana, then Lucy. Once they were in place, the waitress left through a side curtain made of wool.

The curtain moved aside again. An old woman with long hair showing streaks of fading purple and gray appeared. Her face was etched with age, her horns though long, showed small lines as if split from age. Her reddish eyes had even faded to a pink color. The long white robe she wore brushed against the floor. Kouta moved to rise, but she waved him back down.

In a voice as cracked and aged as her face, the woman said, "I am Lady Hakata, the elder and priestess of this village. Pleased to meet you all." Moving to the mat, she knelt down and scanned over their faces. "I shall speak to each one of you in turn. That person shall answer for themselves. Each of you may speak only when addressed. I will not tolerate misbehavior. Mayu, do you understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Mayu said sheepishly.

"Lady Yuka, do you understand?"

"Yes, Lady Hakata."

"Sir Kouta, do you understand?"

"Yes, Lady Hakata."

"Lady Nana, do you understand?"

"Umm, Lady Hakata, you're not going to do anything bad to Kouta, are you?" Nana asked cautiously.

"Do you understand, Lady Nana?"

"Yes, Ma'am, but..."

"Silence, Lady Nana," the old woman said firmly. When she stayed quiet, Lady Hakata asked Lucy, "Do you understand, Lady Lucy?"

"Yes, Lady Hakata," Lucy said.

Turning to Mayu, Lady Hakata asked, "Mayu, who is your mother and father?"

"Yuka and Kouta," Mayu replied.

"Truly?" Lady Hakata asked softly.

Mayu swallowed under her penetrating gaze and nodded. "Yes, they took me in when... Yuka is my mother, Kouta is my father," she said matter-of-factly.

Noting Mayu's stop mid sentence, Lady Hakata asked, "When what, child?"

"When I ran away."

In both Yuka and Kouta's faces, they begged Lady Hakata to not dig any deeper.

"Why did you run away, Mayu?" Lady Hakata asked softly.

Mayu bit her lip and didn't speak.

"Answer me, child. Why did you run away?"

"Don't do this to her," Kouta blurted out.

Snapping her head to Kouta, Lady Hakata hissed, "Silence!", sounding very much like a snake.

"Please..." Yuka began, then her mouth shut with a clapping noise. "Silence!" Lady Hakata said in warning. "I will not tolerate misbehavior."

Turning back to Mayu, Lady Hakata said, "Child, I know it is painful. This is your family here, is it not?"

"Yes," Mayu said in a tiny voice.

In a soft voice, Lady Hakata said, "Then you need not keep your pain to yourself. If you were not guilty, there is no reason to fear that they will think any less of you. Now, why did you run away?"

Mayu began crying. Yuka pulled Mayu to her, tears coming from her own eyes. Lady Hakata sat patiently while Yuka comforted Mayu.

"It's just so... embarrassing," Mayu sobbed. "It wasn't my fault!"

"I know that, child, but why did you run away?"

In a blast, Mayu cried out, "Because he wouldn't leave me alone! I tried to tell mom, and she just slapped me and told me I was in the way!" Mayu then broke down into racking sobs, burying her head in Yuka's chest. Yuka held Mayu close, casting a cold eye at Lady Hakata.

Watching Mayu cry, Lady Hakata said, "This child has deep pain. Now you know the source of that pain. Guard her well from being hurt again."

All stayed silent, casting a cold gazes at Lady Hakata as Mayu cried. Once Mayu's tears died down, she asked, "Mayu's mother, Lady Yuka. Why are you here?"

"I came to help Nana." Yuka stated, still eyeing Lady Hakata with venom.

"Yet Mayu claims that Sir Kouta, the father of Nana's child, is her father also. What is your relation to Lady Nana?" Lady Hakata asked.

Yuka's face opened up. "I'm ... not sure,"

"You had better be sure," Lady Hakata said firmly. "What is Sir Kouta to you beside someone to help take care of Mayu?"

"I love Kouta with all my heart!" Yuka stated.

"Do you love Lady Nana also?"

"Yes!"

"So you are willing to share him with Lady Nana. You are ready to be a second mother to her baby, is that so?"

"It is!"

Leaning closer to Yuka, Lady Hakata asked, "Then what is your relationship with Sir Kouta? Why did you not marry him if you love him and these girls so much?"

Yuka's mouth hung open. Slowly she said, "He hasn't asked me yet."

"Then what makes you believe he loves you?" Lady Hakata asked.

Feeling a stab in her heart, Yuka turned to Kouta, and Lady Hakata barked, "Don't look at him! Answer me with what you know."

Squirming in place Kouta, opened his mouth, "But.." then shut it as Lady Hakata glared at him. Returning her attention to Yuka, she asked, "What is your answer Lady Yuka?"

Tears formed in Yuka's eyes. "I honestly don't know. I ... hope he loves me half as much as I love him."

"Even though another woman bears his child right before your eyes?"

Yuka nodded, and quietly said, "Yes."

"Why do you cling to him when he has obviously chosen another? Do you realize that one slip from Lady Nana's child years from now may leave you cut in half and bleeding to death on the floor? Why risk that? What is it that bonds you to him, Lady Yuka?"

Half angry at and half scared of Lady Hakata's words, Yuka squeezed her eyes shut, causing tears to drip down her face. After a few heavy breaths, she said, "Kouta is the only one for me. It may be true that some day, a misfortune may take my life. Until then, it belongs right here with my family, and with Kouta, however he sees me."

Lady Hakata eyed Yuka for a few seconds longer, then turned her attention to Nana. Nana sat up and stiffened herself, gazing back defiantly at the old woman.

Lady Hakata asked, "Lady Nana, why have you stayed in this house where other women challenge you for the right to be a mother? Why share your man with anyone?"

"No one challenges me!" Nana said firmly. "As far as who Kouta belongs to, he belongs to all of us!" Pointing to each one, Nana said, "Lucy, Yuka, me, and Mayu. However we need him, Kouta is there for us." She then added, "I really don't like you for making Mayu cry!"

This brought a chuckle from the old woman. "I know that, Nana. It was necessary, Mayu no longer has to carry that pain alone. You have this baby with Kouta of your own free will?"

Nana nodded her head in an exaggerated motion. "I sure do! And before you ask, I am happy to have Yuka and Lucy around. Yuka is smart, she teaches me all kinds of things. I know Lucy would protect us from anyone who tried to hurt us .. and ... Mayu is my best friend! We live together in the only home I have ever known." she said loud and clear.

Lady Hakata bowed her head with a satisfied smile. "You are very sure of yourself, Lady Nana. You are also willing to marry Kouta?"

"I am kinda fuzzy on this whole 'marry' thing," Nana admitted.

Patiently, Lady Hakata said, "That means you will be Kouta's wife. You and he will raise your child, live, sleep, and make love together for the rest of your lives."

Nana's face opened up in a broad grin, then she frowned and asked, "What about Lucy and Yuka?"

"What about them? Neither of them are married to Kouta. You will be."

Nana folder her arms across her chest. Looking away, she said, "We have to be fair. I won't leave Yuka or Lucy out, they have to get married with us too!"

"Lady Nana, I am asking about you," Lady Hakata said.

Nana turned her head back to Lady Hakata and replied, "And I am answering you. Yuka didn't say so, but we'd all miss her terribly if she wasn't with us, that goes for Lucy too! Kouta loves all of us!"

"And you can speak for Sir Kouta?"

"Yes I can, just ask him yourself," Nana said confidently.

"I plan to, when I get around to him." Lady Hakata assured her. She then turned her attention to Lucy. "Now, Lady Lucy, I have heard so much about you. In fact, One might say you are famous in all the wrong ways..."

Lucy sat stiffly, facing forward. She was quaking, a nervous look in her eyes. After the interrogations Mayu and Yuka had received, she knew this was going to be bad.


	9. Chapter 9 Nana asks for a trip PT 2

Nana asks for a trip, PT 2

In the small room, the ancient looking diclonius woman, Lady Hakata, knelt on a straw mat with the Maple Inn family kneeling on pillows in a line before her. Lady Hakata was watching Lucy, who was trembling in place. Kouta watched them nervously, flicking his eyes between Lucy and the Lady Hakata.

"Lady Lucy, tell me about how you received your fame," Lady Hakata said in a pleasant tone.

Lucy swallowed and asked, "What fame are you referring to?"

"Why, the fliers of you plastered all over Japan," Lady Hakata said with a wave of her hand. "Apparently you are missing, and presumed as a dangerous killer. Let's start there."

Speaking slowly, Lucy said, "Those came from the men who imprisoned me."

"And what did they imprison you for?"

"Please, don't," Kouta asked.

Lady Hakata glared at him. "Silence, young man. Dare not speak out of turn again," she warned. Turning back to Lucy, she asked, "As you were saying?"

Lucy dropped her eyes to the floor and whispered, "Killing humans."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Lady Hakata asked.

Lucy tightened her fists and stayed quiet.

"Speak so all can hear you. What did you just say?" Lady Hakata asked harshly.

Both Nana and Kouta were watching Lucy sadly now, praying Lady Hakata would give her a break. She didn't.

"Lady Lucy!" Lady Hakata barked, "Tell your family why you were imprisoned."

Limbs quivering, Lucy looked up at her and said, "I will accept your punishment, but please don't make me answer."

"You will answer so all can hear," Lady Hakata said firmly. "It is best if you do it willingly."

Letting out a sob, Lucy cried, "I did it, is that what you want to hear? I am guilty!"

"What are you guilty of?" Lady Hakata snapped at her.

"Killing innocent people!" Lucy snapped back. She then looked over at Yuka and Mayu. Mayu gapping at her wide-eyed. Lucy turned her head and cried. Not looking at them, she said in sobs, "I'm sorry, Mayu, Yuka, I never wanted you to know."

"This is your family, they have a right to know," Lady Hakata told her. "Now why is it you only apologized to Yuka and Mayu? Why not to Kouta or Nana?"

Lucy clapped her hands over her face. "Please, stop," she whined.

"Do they already know?" Lady Hakata asked. "Has either of them seen you kill?"

"I saw Lucy kill some bad men, but they deserved it!" Nana stated.

"Lady Nana!" Lady Hakata said, frowning at her. "You will remain quiet. Lady Lucy must answer for herself."

Kouta pulled Nana to him and hugged her. Nana buried her head in his chest.

"Has Sir Kouta seen you kill?" Lady Hakata asked.

Lucy nodded and cried harder. Kouta reached out a hand to her, but Lady Hakata raised hers to stop him. Nana tried to lift her head up. Kouta put her head back against him, afraid she was going to blurt out something else.

"And who was it that Kouta saw you kill? Is that what got you imprisoned?" Lady Hakata asked harshly.

Afraid Lucy was going to tell about the train, Kouta blasted out with, "Don't tell her!"

Kouta then recoiled as a vector wrapped his face and clapped his mouth shut. Turning to him, Lady Hakata said, "I did warn you, young man." Turning back to Lucy she asked, "Sir Kouta is afraid for you, why is that? What is it you are hiding from your family?"

Kouta tried desperately to free his face to no avail. Seeing him struggle, Nana knitted her eyebrows at Lady Hakata and shot a vector out to disable her vectors. Before Nana's vector reached Lady Hakata, Lady Hakata knocked her vector aside, and hit Nana's forehead, numbing her vectors. The woman was old, but her vectors moved at the speed of light.

Shifting to Nana, Lady Hakata said, "You are being a bad girl. Do not force me to punish you."

"Leave them alone," Lucy growled with bared teeth as she eyed Lady Hakata.

Lady Hataka cast Lucy a dark look. "I will not tolerate misbehavior, I believe I told all of you that. You are walking a very thin line, Lady Lucy, do not step over it."

"Let Kouta go," Lucy said sternly as tears still ran from her eyes.

"Or what? You will revert to violence as usual? Is that how you solve everything?" Lady Hakata asked. "Or is it that the only authority you will respect is your own? Very poor attitude for someone who aspires to share a household and a man with two other women."

Breathing heavily, Lucy again said in three separate breaths, "Let Kouta go."

"You are in my house," Lady Hakata stated. "Therefore you will adhere to my rules. Sir Kouta will be released when it is his turn to speak. At the moment, I am waiting for you to tell me what he is afraid the rest of your family will find out about you. What did you do, Lady Lucy?"

Lucy sat breathing heavily. Something passed over her face, and she looked at Kouta. "I will love you forever," she said. Her face then twisted into a snarl, and she shot her vectors at Lady Hakata, intending to dismember her.

Lady Hakta's vectors met Lucy's halfway, stopping them. Another vector shot out from Lady Hakata, first hitting Lucy in the forehead and making Lucy's vectors disappear. She then used her sixth vector to slap Lucy hard across the face. Lucy recoiled, hair flying as the crack resounded through the room. Lady Hakata slapped her again, causing another loud crack to reverberate through the room. Lucy recoiled the other way, flying back to collapse on the floor behind her pillow.

"STOP!" Yuka cried, and ran over to dive on top of Lucy. Hugging Lucy under her, Yuka glared defiantly at Lady Hakata. Nana tried to cover Lucy also, but now with no vectors to help her move, she waddle-sat in front of Lucy, also staring defiantly at Lady Hakata. Mayu ran over and sat by Nana, blocking Lucy from Lady Hakata's view.

"No!" Lucy cried, and struggled to get up. "Let her do what she wants. Let her kill me!" she wailed.

"No one is going to kill anyone." Lady Hakata said evenly. "Back to your seats, please."

They stayed in place.

"Back to your seats, or do you need help? Lady Hakata asked.

Mayu pushed Nana toward her pillow, saying, "Nana, go on, you have a baby to look out for."

Kouta realized he was free. He got up and helped Nana to her place, then Mayu, then picked up Yuka and walked her back to her place. He then went to help Lucy up, and she curled into a ball.

"Leave me, I don't deserve to be with you ... any of you!" Lucy sobbed.

Kouta looked at Lady Hakata, who watched them impassively. Braving Lady Hakata's wrath, he knelt down and said, "We'll be the judge of that." Kouta waited for another face clamping vector to grip him as he pulled Lucy up and got her back onto her pillow. No vectors came as he got a sobbing Lucy reseated. He gently wiped a bit of blood from the corner of Lucy's lip, then reluctantly took his own place.

Unruffled, Lady Hakata eyed Lucy and said, "Lady Lucy, it appears that your entire family is more than willing to come to your defense. Do you not think they deserve to know the truth?"

Clapping her hands over her face, Lucy cried, "NYUUUUU!"

"No!" Lady Hakata said in a bark sounding like thunder, "You will not escape my questions!" She stared intently at Lucy. Lucy wavered, then blinked in surprise.

Again, Lady Hakata spoke like thunder. "Now, Lady Lucy, what is the truth?"

"Please, just kill me," Lucy replied as she looked at the floor.

Kouta opened his mouth to speak. Nana shot up and clapped a hand over his mouth, shaking her head. Off balance, she fell into him. Kouta struggled to help Nana right herself, and ended up with her in his lap.

Lady Hakata only glanced at them. "Death will not solve this, Lady Lucy."

"Then ask Kouta. He is the one I am in debt to."

"I am asking you, not Sir Kouta. You did it, it is up to you to confess," Lady Hakata said.

"I confessed to Kouta," Lucy said, choking on her words.

Speaking softer, Lady Hakata said, "But not to Lady Yuka or Mayu. Two humans with no abilities who just braved my wrath to protect you. Don't you think they should know who they are protecting?"

Lucy choked out another sob, and looked over at Yuka and Mayu forlornly. "I don't want them to hate me," she pleaded as tears rolled freely down her face.

"They may, they may not. Unless you speak true, your soul will be forever burdened with this deed," Lady Hakata said evenly. "What is this deed that weighs so heavily upon you?"

Her face reddened and starting to swell from the power slaps, Lucy turned to Yuka and said, "I was jealous, so jealous, so angry. I," Crimping her eyes shut and wavering in place, Lucy took a sobbing breath, then said in a thick voice, "I was on that train. I killed Kouta's sister and his father. I would have killed you too Yuka, if Kouta hadn't stopped me."

Yuka gasped and stared at Lucy, frozen in place. Mayu whispered "No..."

"Why were you that jealous, Lady Lucy?" Lady Hakata asked.

Lucy looked at her, hitching in sobs. "They had a family! People to love and care for them," she said, then broke down into tears again.

"You had no family? Who raised you?" Lady Hakata asked, unmoved by Lucy's grief.

Lucy shook her head. "The teachers at the orphanage were there, but, they couldn't even stop the bullies. They couldn't keep the bullies from holding me ... making me watch while they beat my puppy to death! That's when I lost control, when those, ANIMALS, butchered the only thing I had ever loved..." Lucy then fell to the side and cried so hard she began to choke. Mayu cried with her.

Lady Hakata waited patiently for Lucy's crying fit to subside. Once she had settled down into sobs, Lady Hakata said, "Lady Lucy, please retake your seat."

Kouta got up to help her. Lucy was limp in his arms, not helping, but not giving any resistance as she sobbed heavily. Lady Hakata allowed him to get her up, then give her a hug before he went back to his own seat.

"I can't take any more," Lucy said in a whine.

Lady Hakata tipped her head slightly. "I see. There was another time you couldn't take any more, wasn't there?"

"Please, no more," Lucy begged in a whine.

"Please, no more," Kouta asked, tears leaking from his eyes. He stiffened himself to be grabbed in the face again.

Lady Hakata ignored him and said, "Lucy, is that why you were jealous? Because you had nothing?"

"Yes," she said in a tiny voice.

"Why didn't you kill Kouta on that train?"

"Kouta was the only good thing that ever happened to me. I loved him, even though Yuka had taken him away from me," she said, holding herself.

"One bright spot in a world of darkness, is all one needs to be saved," Lady Hakata mussed.

Kouta breathed a sigh of relief when Lady Hakata turned her attention away from Lucy. It was short-lived.

"Sir Kouta, how old were you when this happened?"

"We were seven, almost eight," Kouta replied.

Studying him, Lady Hakata asked, "And after all this time, you still dangle Lucy and Yuka in front of each other. Do you enjoy seeing them suffer?"

Becoming angry, Kouta said, "It's not like that! Back then I had no idea what Lucy's life had been like. It has only been recently that I've seen her again, the same goes for Yuka."

"But, you knew they were rivals for your affection, didn't you?"

"I couldn't remember anything from that time."

"But you do now?" Lady Hakata asked pointedly.

Balling his fists, Kouta glanced at Yuka and said, "Yes, I've remembered. I hate what Lucy did to my family, but I still love her. I've yet to admit it to her, but I love Yuka too!"

"Isn't it a slap in both their faces to have a child with yet another woman?" Lady Hakata asked harshly.

"Nana wanted .. needed attention. I couldn't let her down," Kouta stated.

"So, if Lady Himari comes in and asks for attention, will you oblige her too? Young man, do you have any sense of loyalty whatsoever?"

"YES, he DOES!" all the girls yelled at the same time.

Lady Hakata shot vectors out and clapped all their mouths shut. Eyeing Kouta, she said, "This is a dangerous path you take, Sir Kouta. Every one of your children will be horned, no matter who you have them with. Like with Yuka, one single mishap could leave those children with no father in a very bloody way. Are you prepared to give your life to a child?"

"If it happens, it happens. Until it does, I will do my best to be the best father I can be," Kouta stated.

"So, you are ready to move forward and flaunt your harem?" Lady Hakata asked with a smirk.

Kouta gapped at her. "It's not like I planned this!" he cried. "I was set to choose one, Lucy. Nana and Mayu came up with the 'turn' idea, and somehow, they all got behind it. Once that happened, I realized that both Nana and Yuka would be hurt if I didn't go along with it. I love these girls, the last thing I want is to see them hurt. How could I marry just one, as the law demands?"

"Then you'd be willing to stand by them as your wives, no matter what?"

Glaring at Lady Hakata, Kouta said, "I always have been." In a harsh tone he asked, "What was the need to do this to us? We have all been through torment, why make us suffer more?"

Lady Hakata cleared her throat and said, "Unless I missed something, you are going to have a wedding very soon. As Lady Nana said, you wish to marry all three of these ladies. Maintaining your house will be difficult enough, without secrets between you that could cause great harm if exposed." Lady Hakata put her hands together, then opened then as if releasing a butterfly. "Now those secrets have been exposed. The air is clear between all of you. If agreed, you can begin your lives together as a strong family."

"All I see is everyone I love sad and crying," Kouta replied.

"Then you need to look deeper," Lady Hakata told him.

Kouta shook his head, then let out a sigh and said, "I'm ready for whatever else you have to ask."

Lady Hakata cracked a grin and asked, "Would you be ready to worship Yukaita as your goddess?"

"Who?"

"Yukaita is our goddess, the Goddess of the Earth," Lady Hakata explained. "Under Japanese law, worshipers of Yukiata are they only ones allowed to have polygamous marriages due to the male to female birth rate for our people. One male to every two and a half females. Although the law has never been tested to this extent, once you fall under our sect, you are protected from any legal problems from having multiple wives."

"Really?" he asked.

Lady Hakata slowly rose and announced, "Sir Kouta, feel free to spend all the time you need here. I feel you have things to discuss. In the morning, you and Nana will begin your education, along with the other prospective wives you chose. You will be expected to be wed before Lady Nana delivers. Lady Azami will see to your needs. Good day and good luck to all of you." Lady Hakata then slowly walked out through the curtain.

They all sat in silence for a moment, except for weeping. Yuka sniffed back some tears and said, "I feel like I just got ran over by a truck."

"Lady Hakata is very scary," Nana said quietly.

"Yeah," Kouta agreed.

Still sobbing, Mayu got up and walked over to Lucy, who was hugging herself bent over as she cried. Mayu knelt in front of Lucy and hugged her tight. "It's OK, you're with us now," Mayu said tearfully. She kept repeating her phrase as she hugged Lucy. Slowly, Lucy's arms came up and she hugged Mayu back.

The whole time Mayu had lived with them, this was the first time Mayu had ever hugged anyone. Most of the time, Nana was the only one Mayu allowed to even touch her. Even then, Mayu would give involuntary winces from the contact. Mayu petted Lucy's hair as she kept repeating her phrase, "It's OK, you're with us now."

Watching them, Yuka said, "I ... I don't know what to do."

"I think Mayu is doing it," Kouta said, then hugged Yuka and Nana. "There is something I want to ask you, but I have to ask Lucy first."

"Yes, Lucy first," Yuka agreed.

"So, we're all going to get married, right Kouta?" Nana asked, seeming to force herself into cheerfulness.

"I have to ask properly, first," Kouta told her.

Nana sat up any pointed to Lucy, "Then get started, Kouta!"

"What are you waiting for?" Yuka asked harshly as she planted her hands to push Kouta toward Lucy.

"Excuse me," a voice called from the curtain. They turned to see a dicloni woman in a white robe with red crosses on the arms standing where Lady Hakata had been. Her long hair was silver, her horns had been lacquered a brilliant white with red tips. Her face was smooth with finely cast features.

"I am Lady Himari, village nurse. I have come to see Lady Lucy," she explained as she bowed to them.

"You're really pretty," Nana said in awe as she grabbed Kouta's hand.

"Thank you, Lucy does need some help," Kouta said as he stared at her.

Flushing, Yuka grabbed Kouta's other arm. "Thank you for coming. Kouta, why don't you take Nana to your room? I am sure she needs to rest."

"But, what about Lucy?" he asked.

"I can help Lady Himari, go get Nana settled," Yuka said sternly. Leaning closer to Kouta, she said in a low growl, "Lady Hakata isn't the only one who can slap someone silly!"

"Ahh yeah, OK, come on, Nana," Kouta said as he flinched.

As Kouta got Nana to her feet and left, Lady Himari went over to Lucy and Mayu. She gently pried them apart then had Lucy look up at her.

"Her face has to sting bad, can you help her?" Mayu asked.

Smiling at Mayu, Lady Himari said, "Some cream will soother her face. Unfortunately, Lady Lucy has much more severed damage."

"What's wrong with her?" Yuka asked as she went over to stand by Mayu.

Giving a slight frown, which was so adorable that Yuka was very glad she'd sent Kouta away, Lady Himari said, "Some of it is obvious, her horns have been broken off. The scabs are getting deeper, that is troublesome. I also sense she has been hit in the head by something, she has brain damage. I need to take her to the infirmary." Giving Lucy a playful scowl, she said, "You look like a tough, old alley cat. Don't worry, we'll set you right. Come on dear, on your feet."

Lucy got up, noting that Yuka was beside her. "You must hate me," she said sadly.

Yuka patted her arm and replied, "Right now, let's focus on getting you healed. Mayu, could you go tell Kouta and Nana where we'll be?"

.

**Nana asks for a trip, PT 3**

"This sucks, I want my vectors back!" Nana complained as Kouta helped Nana sit at her spot at the long table. Balancing her large stomach in front of her, Nana gripped Kouta's hands as she wobbled down in place. One seat down from them – the other side of where Yuka should have been sitting – Victor and Setzu arrived to take their seats.

Hearing her, Setzu asked, "What happened?"

"Lady Hakata whacked me in the forehead first," Nana said with a sigh. "She's a lot faster than me."

Another horned teenage girl who came in, stopped to stare at Nana from across the table. Eyes widening, she asked in a gasp, "You tried to numb Lady Hakata?"

A horned boy following her laughed and asked, "Are you crazy, Lady? I'm surprised she didn't turn you upside down and spank you until you couldn't sit!"

The girl pointed to Nana's stomach. "She is almost due, I bet that's why Lady Hakata was gentle with her."

"That was being gentle?" Nana asked wide-eyed.

"Let's forget it, OK?" Kouta asked as he got himself seated.

The boy squatted down in front of them, shifting his gaze between Nana and Kouta. "I can see you are outsiders, so take this advice. NEVER raise a mind hand to Lady Hakata, or anyone with a white robe. That could get you into big trouble." He then bowed to Kouta. "My name is Samuru, this is my bride-to-be, Kaiyo."

Kouta returned the bow, saying, "My name is Kouta, this is Nana."

"First child?" Kaiyo asked Nana.

Nana nodded, then said, "I like how you painted your horns green fading to white, Kaiyo, it matches you hair perfectly."

Offering a smile to Samuru, Kaiyo said, "My Samuru-sama did that for me. Would you like your horns painted too, Nana? I can do it for you."

"That would be great!" Nana exclaimed.

A voice announced, "Everyone please take their seats, we will begin soon."

Samuru and Kaiyo hurried to their seats as a few others helped fill the long table. Except for the four outsiders, the table filled with young village people. Only two seats remained empty, Yuka's and Lucy's.

The woman who came in wore a white robe. Kouta noted her light purple hair was pulled back into a pony tail, and her horns were painted white with floral designs. If he had to guess at her age, the tiny crow's feet at the edges of her eyes would make his guess mid-thirties. Walking along to scan the table she said, "I am Lady Azami, for those who I have yet to be acquainted with. I see we have two people missing?" she asked and looked at Kouta.

Speaking with the customary titles here, Kouta said, "Lady Lucy is in the infirmary, Lady Yuka is staying with her."

Lady Azami gave a slight nod and said,. "I do hope that Lady Lucy recovers. We will keep today light. Sir Kouta, after class you will need to inform them on what they missed."

.

Lucy laid in bed, covered to her neck in blankets. Her horns regrown, she breathed in pants, her cheeks now flushed with fever. Sitting beside her, Yuka rinsed another washcloth in cold water and reapplied it to her forehead.

"How is she doing?" Lady Himari asked as she came into the room.

Wearing a worried frown, Yuka said, "The same. I've seen her get a fever before for apparently no reason. It concerns me."

"Fevers mark that something is wrong, and the body is trying to correct it," Lady Himari said gently. "Lady Lucy had much wrong with her. We repaired the damage as well as we could. She has to do the rest of it herself. Have no fear, Lady Lucy is not in any danger."

Remembering how Lady Himari re-grew Lucy's horns, Yuka asked, "The damage in her brain, you fixed that the same way as you did her horns?"

"Very similar, yes. Her brain was essentially halved. Her mind was split into two personalities. I'm sure you must have seen evidence of that from time to time. I reconnected her brain cell functions, it's up to her to reconcile the personalities."

"Nyu," Yuka said, "We called the other part of her Nyu."

"And now Nyu and Lucy are becoming one," Lady Himari explained. "When she awakens, she may act differently, most likely a mix of her previous selves."

This brought a smile to Yuka's face. "I liked Nyu, she was fun to be with."

Lady Himari cast Yuka a bright smile that made her happy Kouta was in class with Nana. "That is good to hear," Lady Himari said in a sweet tone.

"Your husband must be very proud of you," Yuka offered, hoping to hear this goddess of a woman was married.

Lady Himari let out a light laugh and said, "I am a white-robe, Lady Yuka. I cannot get married, I have given my life to the welfare of the village."

"How very noble of you, to give up any chance of having your own children," Yuka said, happy to hear that she was celibate.

Lady Himari shook her head. With her pleasant smile, she said, "Oh no, I can bear children. I just cannot have my own family. When the urge comes, I can borrow another woman's husband to conceive. Once the baby is born though, that child belongs to the family. It is an honor for families to raise the child of a white robe."

"Oh, my, wouldn't that make you sad not to raise your own child?" Yuka asked.

Lady Himari scrunched a shoulder. "Some, but as I said, my life has been given to the village. And by giving my child to the village, that also pays honor to Yukaita."

For some reason, Yuka couldn't stop the image of Kouta and Lady Himari cuddled up on a futon. Bocking that image from her mind, she offered Lady Himari a smile, "As I said, you are a very noble woman." And whenever Kouta was within sight of Lady Himari, Yuka was going to shove a bag over his head.

"Thank you, Lady Yuka," Lady Himari said with a bow. "Please call on me when Lady Lucy awakens. I must tend to other matters." She then left, casting Yuka a parting smile.

Noting Lucy moved, Yuka watched as Lucy turned her head in a twitch. Under the lids, Lucy's eyes moved quickly. She wondered what Lucy was dreaming about.

.

Kouta walked down the hall, holding Nana's hand as they moved with the flow from the classroom. Beside him with Kaiyo on his arm, Samura asked Kouta, "Where do you live?"

"Far to the south in Kamakura, next to Sagami bay." Kouta explained.

"I bet you two go to the beach often. I'd love to go to the beach for our honeymoon," Kaiyo said, eyeing Samura expectantly.

Samura nodded and asked, "Kouta, did you spend your honeymoon with Nana at the beach?"

Nana looked over at him and asked, "What's a honeymoon?"

"You didn't take Nana on a honeymoon?" Kaiyo asked in surprise.

"I will, soon," Kouta told her, hoping the conversation would shift to another topic.

"But you're suppose to go right after you're married," Kaiyo told Kouta.

"Oh, we're not married yet. Lucy is first," Nana explained confidently.

Kouta tried to slow down so they would fade back to the back of the group. The group slowed with them.

"Lady Nana is having your baby, but you haven't married her yet?" another girl asked.

"Sir Kouta, shouldn't you marry Lady Nana before anyone else?" a boy behind him asked.

Nana turned and told him, "We agreed Lucy is first. After all, I was first to have a baby, so it's her turn to be first."

"So, who gets the first honeymoon?" Samura asked tentatively.

"That would have to be Yuka!" Nana said brightly. "Are honeymoons fun?" she asked.

"HUH?" the entire class around them gasped. Everyone stopped, gapping at Kouta.

"How many wives do you have?" one boy cried out.

Flushing, Kouta thought about how to answer, but Nana beat him to it.

"None of us are married yet, but we will be as soon as Lucy is better," Nana informed them.

"Lady Lucy? The wild one that's in the infirmary?" Kaiyo asked.

Nana nodded. "I got numbed, but Lucy got a little worse," she explained.

Seeing his chance, Kouta tugged on Nana's arm. "Speaking of that, we should go see Lucy."

Nana resisted, saying, "Yuka is with Lucy, we have to go meet Mayu first."

"What kind of pervert are you!" another girl cried out.

"One who knows how to collect girls," another boy said in an unhappy tone.

Moving to block Kaiyo from Kouta's view, Samura grew a nervous grin and said, "We'll be going now. Come on Kaiyo."

"Hey, Samura, we're coming too," Another boy said as he hustled his girlfriend away in front of him.

Kouta sagged, muttering, "Even here..."

.

Inside a temple anti-chamber, a group of young white robed women were clustered around Lady Himari as they spoke in hushed voices in a mix of wild hair colors and brightly painted horns.

"Yes, it is quite a coincidence that Lady YUKA has come just prior to the fertility ceremony, isn't it?"

"Do you really think that she may be Goddess Yukaita in disguise?"

"She's obviously not one of our sect, she doesn't even have horns."

"And if Goddess Yukaita wanted to test us, what better way than to come to us as plainly as possible?"

"You think that she is here to test our devotion?"

"But, I heard that she is one of three wives of Sir Kouta."

"She IS a message from our Goddess, at the very least!" a pink haired girl said firmly. "I peeked in when Lady Hakata gave them audience. Lady Yuka is very brave and loving to her clan. The wild one, Lady Lucy, even admitted that she was going to kill Yuka, but now Yuka sits at her bedside. Such subtle power to turn aside insane wrath can only reside in Yukaita herself!"

"We have been blessed!"

"But, what do we do? How can we demonstrate our devotion to our Goddess?"

Lady Himari held up her hands and said, "Slow down. First, if Yukaita does walk among us, then we should all feel blessed. Second, by her actions, Yukaita favors a large, loving family. To repay her kindness for blessing us so with her presence, we need to pay honor to her."

"Yes, let's give Goddess Yukaita all the children we can!"

"A most loving way to honor Yukaita, sister. And Sir Kouta is rather handsome too!"

"Ohhh, I want to accept his blessed seed!"

"I wish to have the honor first!"

"Sisters! If we all converge on him, he will have nothing left for HIS family! That will not please Yukaita. We must choose who will approach him."

Lady Himari thrust her hands up in the air, Making her silver hair fluff from the breeze. "Then we will spin the wheel of fate, and let Yukaita decide who is worthy!" she stated.

.

"That's about all Lady Azami went over today," Kouta said as he sat on the foot of Lucy's bed.

"I'm sure we'll make it to class soon," Yuka assured him from her place on the other side of Lucy's feet.

"Hey, Lucy's waking up," Nana said in the chair by Lucy's head.

Lucy slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Nana first, her face lit up. "Nana!" Lucy cried and reached over to hug her.

"Welcome back," Kouta said.

"Ah, the lazy one awakens," Yuka said, teasing her.

"Kouta!" Lucy all but screamed, and sat up to hug him tightly. "Oh Kouta, I had the most horrid dream! This old lady beat the crap out of me."

Tapping her fingers as she let out a sigh, Yuka eyed Lucy and said, "That wasn't a dream."

Turning to look at her from Kouta's shoulder, Lucy focused on Yuka. Slowly she let go of Kouta and asked, "It all really happened?"

"That's why you are in the infirmary. You've been out the last two days. I take it you are feeling better?" Yuka asked.

"That really happened?" Lucy asked again, her face set in thought. She then looked up at Yuka and asked, "I hope you don't hate me now. Can I please keep living with all of you?"

"Yes, but you must behave yourself," Yuka told her.

"Thank you," Lucy replied, and hugged Yuka. Yuka's eyes bulged from the tight squeeze Lucy gave her.

"OK, let go," Yuka croaked.

"Lucy?" Kouta asked as he took her hand, "I have something very important I want to ask you." Seeing Yuka eye him, Kouta took Yuka's hand and said, "And you also, Yuka."

"And me too?" Nana asked expectantly.

"I only have two hands, Nana," Kouta told her.

Nana got up on the bed and clasped her hands over Kouta's, smiling at him expectantly.

"And Nana too," Kouta relented.

Gazing at them seriously, Kouta said, "This is kinda awkward, but I do love you. Each one of you. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. Lucy, would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

Lucy's cheeks flushed. "Oh yes!" she said happily.

"Yuka, would you also give me the honor of being my wife?"

"Yes, Kouta, I would be happy to," Yuka said with a radiant smile.

"And me too?" Nana asked quickly.

Kouta chuckled and said, "Let me ask, OK?"

Nana nodded vigorously. "OK, go ahead."

"Dear, sweet Nana, would you also do me the honor of being my wife?"

"YES!" Nana cried, and dove into Kouta, hugging him. Being pushed back by Nana's embrace, Kouta lost his balance and dropped off the bed with a yelp of surprise, Nana went down with him. Lucy tried to stop them from falling, and was drug down with them. Yuka, though pulled across the bed, was only yanked far enough so she could easily see Kouta, Nana, and Lucy in a tangle on the floor below her.

"And, what are we doing in here?" a sweet voice asked.

Yuka looked up to see Lady Himari standing over the pile of her family on the floor. She also noticed Kouta was on his back, his head between Lady Himari's feet. He had a direct line of sight up her robe.

Looking up, Kouta turned bright red and asked, "Si .. silver?"

Angry at Kouta's perversion, Yuka was set to punch him, but Nana cried out.

"Owww! My belly hurts!"

.

Kouta knelt nervously to one side of the small square table before the alter. Lucy sat beside him, also casting Nana nervous glances as Lady Himari helped Nana kneel on the other side of the table. Nana winced as another pain hit. "Ouch! We better hurry up!" she said in a gasp.

Once again, Lady Hakata knelt between Kouta and now Nana. Not reacting to Nana's sense of urgency, she placed a length of cord between them and announced, "Sir Kouta, before you is Lady Nana. Are you prepared to live your life with her, to keep her as the Lady she is, to love and support her and all of her children for all of your days?"

"I will love Lady Nana, live my life with her, support her and all of her children for the rest of my days," Kouta replied solemnly.

"And are you, Lady Nana, prepared to live your life with Sir Kouta, to bear his children, love and support him for all of your days?"

Nana gasped and squeaked out "Yes ... AHHH! I will love Kouta and support him for the rest of my days .. AHH! and I am ready to bear his children RIGHT NOW!" she finished with a red faced grimace.

Lady Hakata picked the cord up, and tied one end to Kouta's wrist, and the other to Nana's. Speaking in a firm voice, she said, "All present and our Goddess Yukaita, bear witness. This cord represents the binding of two people. As I sever this cord, it shall be their love that binds them together forever more. By the devotion of Sir Kouta and Lady Nana and as a priestess of Yukaita, I now pronounce Sir Kouta and Lady Nana as husband and wife!" She then cut the middle of the cord with a vector.

Nana was quickly picked up and hustled to a waiting bed. As Lady Himari's vectors carried Nana, Nana cried, "Kouta, I love you ..AHHHH!.. We'll kiss later!"

Lady Azami got by Nana's head as Kouta appeared by her side, clasping her hand. Lucy clasped Nana's other hand.

As people crowded around Nana for the delivery, Yuka sat stunned. She glanced at the alter and asked, "What about me?"

.

The tiny baby in Nana's arms nuzzled up to Nana's breast as she suckled. Nana, sweaty from the delivery, smiled down on her child in awe. "It's hard to believe she came out of me," Nana said, and looked up at Kouta.

Kouta petted Nana's head. "You did real well, Nana. She's beautiful." Although he kept quiet about it, he noticed that Nana's breasts had gotten much larger.

"What's her name?" Lucy asked as she gazed at the cute little baby.

Nana frowned sadly for a second, then said, "Mariko. Papa's real daughter didn't get to live her life, so we'll call her Mariko. OK, Kouta?"

"Sounds perfect to me," he said with a smile.

"And I want to have Kanae," Lucy said, dreamy eyed as she looked down at little Mariko. "I can't wait to have my own baby."

"Ahrumph," Yuka coughed so Kouta would notice her. "Your baby is precious, Nana, congratulations. Now Kouta, you realize Lady Hakata is waiting to perform one last ceremony?" she asked, and glanced over at the alter.

"Yeah, you have to marry Yuka too," Nana reminded him.

Kouta took Yuka's hand and told Nana, "We'll be back, my lovely wife,"

Yuka was in heaven as their wedding ceremony began. She knew Kouta already had two wives, but at the moment, Lucy was tending to Nana. That meant this special occasion, for this one brief moment in time, she had Kouta all to herself.

.

The next class proved to be much more interesting. Kouta thought it would be more baby care tips, but not a word about babies was covered. With the help of Lady Himari's healing skills, Nana didn't miss a day. Nana was worn out, but able to attend class.

The first thing Lady Azami did was pass out small frames, and papers to hang from the frames. Each person got one frame, and a few papers. Kouta set his up as instructed, arm's length in from of him. He noticed that for paper, it was a bit thick and spongy. Once everyone was ready, Lady Azami showed a cross-section picture of a young child's head up on the board.

Pointing to the frontal lobe of the brain, Lady Azami said, "This is the area in our brains that allow us to use our mind hands. As most of us have learned as children, a small shock, say from an impact from a mind hand or physical impact to the forehead will numb this area and disable the child's mind hands. HOWEVER, this impact must not be too hard. Striking this area with too much force will cause injury that may become permanent. Whenever using this technique, you must be precise."

Moving to a frame and paper set up for her, Lady Azami said, "The amount of force should be the same as moving, but not ripping this piece of paper. At the same time, it must be done as quickly as possible. Let me demonstrate." She looked at the paper. A small 'pop' was heard, and the paper shook as if struck.

"Did everyone see that?" Lady Azami asked. After she received nods and 'Yes ma'am's', she said, "For those of you here who do not have mind hands, a flick with the back side of your finger, or knuckle-knock between and directly above the eyes, will give the same effect. Again, the goal is to strike with the correct amount of force, be as fast as you can, and not rip the paper. You may begin practice."

"This is like the 'Nudgie' game!", one girl cried out.

"Exactly so, the Nudgie game is very similar," Lady Azami replied.

Thinking it easy, Kouta reached out and flicked his middle finger on the paper. It snapped like Lady Azami's did. Unlike hers, his bore a small rip. This paper was also fragile.

"Darn it!" a boy farther down cursed as he ripped his paper.

Lucy punched a hole clean through hers. Yuka's flick didn't seem to move the paper. Nana, however, 'popped' her paper again and again, making it shake and leaving no mark.

"This is fun," Nana said wih a giggle.

"How are you doing that?" Lucy asked, frustrated.

Lady Azami strolled down the line, coaching as she went. Coming to them, she said, "Lady Yuka, good speed, but you need to strike a little bit harder ... Sir Kouta, you're too slow, move faster and watch the force you put into it... Perfect Lady Nana! ... Lady Lucy, concentrate on striking the paper, not past it ... Sir Victor, the same goes for you. Stop trying to go past the paper. Make your strike end right where the paper is. That may be your child's head, you do not want to injure them. Very good, Lady Setzu ... Perfect, Lady Kaiyo ... "

At the end of her coaching, Lady Azami announced, "Take these papers and frames with you and practice. I have more papers back there in the cabinet for you to practice with tonight. We will move on to the next lesson after an hour of practice. Tomorrow we will see how you are coming along."

In the hour's practice, Kouta felt he was almost there. He was flicking the paper to make it move and not rip, but he still got chided for being too slow.

After the paper-flicking practice, Lady Azami went on to other basic child care precautions such as physically touching and carrying children instead of using mind hands to help the child learn that mind hands are not for touching people with. She went over the fevers that announce the child's brain has developed to the point where they can begin using their own mind hands. The numbing creams to use during the 'clumsy' phase of mind hand development, and the exercises and games to help the child gain control of their mind hands – much like learning to walk.

Kouta listened intently to her teachings, realizing that neither Lucy nor Nana had someone around to teach them. They knew only what they found out for themselves – and in Lucy's case, they had been very bloody lessons.

.

In the nursery, Mayu held Mariko and fed her as Lady Himari sat close by.

Looking up at Lady Himari, Mayu asked, "How much will she drink? The bottle is almost empty."

"That is only four ounces, she will probably finish it. In another few weeks, she will be eating twice that much," Lady Himari told her.

"Wow, no wonder Nana's boobies got so big," Mayu said, then winced at Lady Himari. "Nana got one of those pumps, and when she uses it, it reminds me of someone milking a cow."

Lady Himari laughed and explained, "Essentially, it's the same, Mayu. If Lady Nana doesn't milk herself, then Mariko will have nothing to eat if Lady Nana isn't around. OK, let's lay her up beside your shoulder, time to burp her."

Kouta came in and found Mayu burping Mariko, gently patting her back as Lady Himari showed her. He stood back and watched for a moment, enjoying the scene. Once Mariko was burped, he came up and said, "Very good Mayu! Want to learn how to change her diaper too?"

"OK," Mayu said happily. She then asked, "Where's Nana?"

"Nana and Lucy went to get their horns painted. Yuka went with them. You can go play with the other kids until it's time for dinner, if you want."

"That does sound like a good idea," Lady Himari said to Mayu, all smiles. "Learning how to care for a baby is important, but so is keeping up on your fun time."

"Can I go watch Nana get her horns painted?"

"Sure, they went right across the street from the school, three doors down." Kouta told her. He reached down to pick up the baby bag, but Lady Himari snatched it up.

"I'll take that for you, I was going toward your rooms anyway," she said sweetly.

"Thanks," Kouta said, returning her bright smile.

Kouta took Mariko, then watched Mayu run out to go find Nana.

"That is a very good girl you have there," Lady Himari said in a silky voice.

"Thank you, we're very proud of her," Kouta said, "And thank you for watching them for us."

"My pleasure, Sir Kouta. Shall we go?"

.

"I want flowers, like Lady Azami has!" Nana said eagerly. Nana sat between Yuka and Lucy at the dinning type table where jars of paint and long thin brushes were scattered about.

"OK, let me see," Lady Kaiyo mussed as she looked over the colors. "For your hair color, how about some nice pale lilacs with the white base. Picking up a light purple jar of paint, she said "In this color."

"Lady Lucy, I think red roses would look good on you," Lady Setzu said as she eyed Lucy's hair.

Lucy looked at Nana, who nodded. "OK, I'll try those," Lucy told her.

"Lady Setzu?" a white robed woman with long pink hair asked as she knelt down beside her.

"Yes, Lady Mitsu?"

Lady Mitsu said something quietly in her ear. Lady Setzu grimaced slightly, then recovered and nodded, saying, "I shall send Sir Victor tonight. Will that be fine?"

"Yes, thank you, Lady Setzu," Lady Mitsu said reverently, then got up and left.

"Something wrong?" Yuka asked, noting Lady Setzu didn't look happy.

Lady Setzu shrugged and said, "Nothing abnormal. Apparently Lady Mitsu wishes to have a child."

Remembering what Lady Himari told her, Yuka flushed and said, "That must be awkward for you."

Casting Yuka a half smile, Lady Setzu said, "That part is no problem," She then took on a frown as she added, "But she could have left out the part where she lost the right to Sir Kouta, who was her first choice."

"The right?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, apparently some other white robe has already claimed him."

"They can do that?" Nana asked.

Setzu nodded. "It is village custom. White robes cannot have their own husbands, so they are allowed to borrow other women's husbands. Normally, over time, they become like a second wife in the family. I grew up with Lady Mitsu, so it's fine." Frowning again, she added, "But she really could have left out that other part."

Mayu came in and ran up to Nana. "Hi everyone, can I watch?"

Yuka patted the place beside her. "Of course, sit with me so you're out of their way. Didn't Kouta come get you and Mariko?" she asked.

"Yup, he went back to our rooms with Mariko. Don't worry, Lady Himari went with him in case he had any trouble."


	10. Chapter 10 Nana asks for a trip PT 3

"Ohh yes, now faster!" Lady Himari said eagerly.

On the other side of the table, Kouta focused on the paper and shot his arm out to flick it. The paper made a 'pop' as his finger hit. He studied it, but didn't see any rips.

"Great!" Lady Himari said eagerly. "I think you've got it. Now keep practicing so you can do it without having to concentrate so hard."

Looking at the paper, Kouta asked, "So this is really all it takes to stop someone from using their vectors?"

"Do you mean their mind hands?" Lady Himari guessed.

"Umm, yeah,"

Casting him the cutest frown he'd ever seen, Lady Himari said, "You people have such strange names for things." Her frown shifted into an impish look. Leaning forward so her breasts were resting on her arms, and her robe partially opened to show her cleavage, she said, "Tell you what, Sir Kouta. Go ahead and numb me."

"You?" Kouta asked in surprise.

"Yes. Numb me before I rip your clothes off and see what YOU have between your legs."

Kouta flushed bright red again, "I'm ummm, real sorry about that," he offered.

"No problem, but now it's my turn unless you stop me... here I come!" she said, eyes flashing wide.

Heart in his throat, Kouta shot his arm out and flicked Lady Himari right between the eyes. She recoiled slightly. She then rubbed her forehead, and exclaimed, "That was awesome! You got me good!"

The door slammed open and Yuka screamed, "What are you doing in here!" Seeing Kouta and Lady Himari sitting and staring at her, she paused. Lucy rushed in right behind her with the 'drop cloth' rings still around the base of her horns.

"Lady Himari was helping me practice," Kouta explained.

"Sir Kouta is getting good at it too. He just numbed me," Lady Himari said casting Yuka a smile.

"You ... you're not trying to make a baby?" Lucy asked.

Kouta flushed again with a, "HUH?"

Lady Himari stood up and faced Yuka and Lucy. In a stern tone as if teaching a child, she said, "I do not know how you do things in the south, but here it is considered VERY bad manners to approach a husband without the wives' knowledge or consent. I would never do such a thing."

Lucy bit her lip and said, "We're sorry, but after what we just heard, we thought you came to our room for Kouta."

"I did come for Sir Kouta. To help him with the baby if he needed it, and to help him practice. This is a vital skill you must all learn well." Lady Himari explained.

Feeling foolish, Yuka bowed and said, "I am so sorry, we thought the worst, please forgive me."

"Could you help me too?" Lucy asked.

Lady Himari offered them a smile and said, "There is no problem, Lady Yuka. Lady Lucy, I would be happy to help you. Set up your paper and let's get started."

Kouta refilled the oil lamps as Lady Himari sat with Yuka at the table now, helping her flick her paper accurately.

"Just not quite hard enough," Lady Himari mussed as she eyed Yuka's paper.

"But, Lady Azami said we can't rip the paper," Yuka explained.

Lady Himari nodded, then said, "True, but you must hit hard enough, or else you effort will be wasted." A sly grin appeared on her face. "Lady Yuka," she said with a wry grin. Leaning towards Yuka she said, "You know I can use my mind hands to take Sir Kouta any time I want, that is unless you can numb me."

Yuka gapped at her for a second, then with a scowl, she shot her arm out and flicked Lady Himari in the forehead hard.

"Ouch!" Lady Himari squeaked as she pulled back and rubbed her forehead. She then cast Yuka a grin and said, "Now do it just like that."

"You said you wouldn't touch Kouta without asking us first!" Yuka said in an angry tone.

"I will not. I wanted you to give you some incentive to flick harder. Now, hit the paper just like you hit me," Lady Himari coached.

A short laugh came from the side. Lucy carried six plates in, four floating on her vectors. "I see Lady Himari hit Yuka's 'jealous' bone," she noted.

"Dinner!" Mayu called as she brought in more bowls of food.

"Be right there, it's dinner time for Mariko too," Nana said from her chair by the crib.

"Six plates?" Kouta asked as he approached.

"Yes, it's only right to ask Lady Himari to eat with us, since she is helping everyone," Mayu said cheerfully.

"Right, but it's my turn to sit by Kouta," Lucy informed them.

Lady Himari cast a smile at them and said, "Why, thank you. It will be nice not to have to eat alone."

"You don't eat with the other white robes?" Mayu asked.

Lady Himari shook her head. "Those of us who do not share a family, have our own living spaces. I like having my own place, but it can also get lonely."

"Well tonight you eat with us," Lucy said, and sat a plate down in front of Lady Himari.

Yuka got an inquisitive look on her face and said, "Lady Himari, I don't really understand the practice of women becoming white robes. I do know you have given your life to the welfare of the village, but couldn't you do that even if you had your own husband? Or even shared your husband with another woman, like we do?"

Lady Himari took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Lady Yuka, the practice came from the time known as the flood of tears. Many years ago, our village was attacked. Not just one time, but again and again by greedy ones who wished to enslave our power. When they first came, our village was unprepared for such an onslaught. Many were lost, including precious fathers and young men. After our people got over the initial shock of such wanton cruelty, it was decided that no more men were to engage the enemy. So many children lost their mothers, fathers, or both, that it was also decided any woman with a child had to be protected. The women who did not have, or no longer had a husband or child, were trained to use their mind hands in very harsh ways. They donned white robes to make themselves stand out as easy targets to draw enemy fire. Thereafter, when the attacks came, these women were prepared to effectively fight back. The slaughter turned the other way, and eventually we were left alone. The women wearing white robes agreed not to take husbands, in case someone else tried to attack us. Other villagers thought this was too much to bear, so the married women offered to share their husbands to white robed women, so at least they could gain some comfort from the ones they were protecting. In more recent times, we have become the teachers,healers, and priestesses, but the origin of the white robe is not lost on any of us."

"So, you are soldiers too?" Mayu asked.

"If we must be. If that comes to pass, and say I die defending our sect, then no child or man will cry in the night or be uncared for because a wife and mother is lost. I am sure I will be grieved over, but the hardest pain to others will be spared," Lady Himari explained.

They all sat staring at Lady Himari until Lady Himari waved a hand and said, "What serious faces! That was like sixty some years ago. Come on, let's eat!"

.

In the morning, Lady Himari went to the nursery to ensure the day started well. She greeted Mayu, and again thanked Mayu and her family for sharing their meal with her. She then stopped by the infirmary to check on things there, then went to the temple and waited for audience with Lady Hakata.

Lady Himari was called in. She knelt on a pillow in front of Lady Hakata's straw mat. Head down, she heard Lady Hakata come in and take her seat.

"So many of our young white robes wished to have your place. It is a good thing I guided the wheel of fate," Lady Hakata said.

"And I thank you for this chance to show my worth to our people," Lady Himari replied.

"Lady Himari, are you confident about the path you are about to embark upon?" Lady Hakata asked.

"Quite sure, Lady Hakata," Lady Himari said without hesitation.

"I remember the flood of tears," Lady Hakata mussed. "So many lost. So many saddened. If you fail, Lady Himari, not only will you suffer a fate worse than death, but we may not be a able to stop another flood of tears."

"I am very aware of that, Lady Hakata. My fate has been shown to me, I will not let our people down."

"Very well. I have received news. Listen well, for you are about to venture into the dragon's den."

.

Lady Azami was pleased with the progress Kouta, Yuka and Lucy showed with their numbing techniques. Once again, she had gone down the line to see how everyone was doing. Only Victor -who seems a little tired- was not up to the standard Lady Azami set. Lady Setzu promised to keep her husband practicing. They then moved on to general child rearing.

At the end of the class day, Lady Azami led a prayer to Goddess Yukaita for the success of the prospective parents and then the class as a whole went to a dinner party where all the girls fawned over cute little baby Mariko. Yuka spend the majority of her time scrutinizing the white-robes who came near Kouta. She would have parked herself at his side, but it seemed that many white robes congregated around her as well.

.

Lady Hakata stood in front of Kouta and his family as the drivers loaded their luggage into the 4 wheel drives. Bowing to them, she said, "Sir Kouta, I wish you and your family a long and happy life together."

Kouta returned her bow, replying, "Thank you for all you've done for us. I wish there was some proper way to repay you for your kindness."

"There is," Lady Hakata said. "It seems more and more of us are going south. You city lies in the perfect place for opening a healing and education center. We would be most grateful if you would assist us in this matter."

"That is a good idea," Lucy said.

"It is, but we know nothing about how to run such a clinic," Yuka said.

"That is why I am sending someone to assist you," Lady Hakata explained.

Lady Himari arrived with a suitcase to stand beside Lady Hakata. "I have packed jars of the numbing, healing and rash creams and the recipes as well. That with my knowledge should get us off to a good start."

"But, where will you live?" Nana asked.

"With you, if I may," Lady Himari said brightly.

Yuka stared at her. "HUH?"

"Umm, yeah, that would be .. the right thing to do," Kouta said as his cheeks colored.

"Yes, you have been very kind to us," Lucy agreed as she smiled at Lady Himari. "You are more than welcome, we have plenty of room."

"All right, Lady Himari is going to live with us!" Nana said eagerly. Looking down at Mariko, who was sleeping in her arms, she asked, "Isn't that great Mariko?"

"but.." Yuka said weakly.

"I thank you for your hospitality," Lady Himari said with a bow.

A driver took Lady Himari's bag and announced, "OK we're loaded up. We're ready when you are."

"Wait!" Nana cried, "Who's turn is it? I want to ride with Kouta this time."

Lucy slapped Nana on the shoulder, "Go ahead, I'll ride with Yuka and Mayu. Tell the driver to go slow too, we don't want to bounce Mariko around."

Yuka got into a vehicle beside Mayu. She then noticed Kouta had the middle seat and held Mariko, Nana got in on his right, and Lady Himari got in on his left.

"Ohhh, Kouta, you pervert!" Yuka growled.


	11. Chapter 11 Lady Himari asks a favor

Arakawa walked with the doctor up the steps to the Maple Inn. "It's right up here, I'll prove to you that Lucy lives here!"

The doctor adjusted his glasses, and said, "And if she is not here, then you will have to come to terms with your delusions. Right, Miss Arakawa?"

Striding up to the gate, Arakawa rapped on it. "You'll see," she said confidently.

A moment passed, and a form came towards them. She noted the form of the shadow bore a head dress to hide her horns. Arakawa said, "This must be Nana."

The gate opened and a strikingly beautiful silver haired woman asked, "May I help you?"

Panning her eyes over the woman's long white robe, silver hair and her lacy blue and silver hat, Arakawa exclaimed, "You're not Nana!"

"Very observant of you, Lady..?"

The Doctor gently put an arm around Arakawa. "Excuse us, Ma'am, I am doctor Noda with the mental institute. Sorry to intrude, but may I ask your name?"

"I am Lady Himari, pleased to meet you," she replied with a bow. "And who is this confused young woman?"

"This is Miss Arakawa. We came here so I could prove something to her," Doctor Noda explained.

Lady Himari gazed at Arakawa, and said, "I sense no internal brain damage, perhaps she has suffered a stressful situation that she cannot reconcile?"

"My thoughts exactly," Doctor Noda agreed. "But, may I ask how you can determine her state just by looking at her?"

Seeing a hard protrusion under the blue and silver lace hat she wore, Arakawa reached up and yanked her hat off. "A-HA!" she cried.

Face written in horror, the doctor pulled Arakawa back and wrestled the hat from her. Lady Himari quickly retrieved her hat and inspected it.

"I am so sorry, ma'am", Doctor Noda said, bowing deeply as he kept Arakawa away from Lady Himari. "So sorry to have bothered you. Miss Arakawa, come!" he added, and steered Arakawa away.

"Didn't you see it? She has HORNS!" Arakawa cried.

Lady Himari got her hat back in place and said in a sympathetic voice, "The fault is not yours Doctor, please care for that poor woman."

"Thank you for your understanding, Lady Himari." Doctor Noda called back over his shoulder. "I would love to talk with you, but we must be going."

Struggling, Arakawa yelled, "She's one of them!"

"Be still, Miss Arakawa!" Doctor Noda said firmly as he guided her down the stairs. "That woman is obviously refined and educated, how can she a murdering diclonius?"

Lady Himari shut the gate and went back inside to meet Yuka coming out to see what the commotion was.

"Just a poor woman who has lost touch with reality, no need to worry," Lady Himari said in a sad tone.

Yuka nodded slightly and said, "Kouta just called. He and Kita found a place for sale near the Diabutsu pass. It too is an Inn, and has plenty of room. They are going to speak to the agent before they return."

"That is good news," Lady Himari beamed. Noting they were alone for the moment, Lady Himari looked at Yuka more seriously and asked, "Lady Yuka, you have all been so kind to me, and I am grateful. There is one favor I would ask, to honor your beloved family."

"Just ask," Yuka said confidently.

"Lady Yuka, the highest honor one can pay to a family of Yukaita, is to offer them a child. I would ask that you would accept my child into your house." Lady Himari said reverently.

"You have a child?" Yuka asked.

"Not at present. With the assistance of Sir Kouta, I am sure I could present you with a wonderful child," Lady Himari said as her cheeks turned pink.

"Oh," Yuka said, then as she thought about what Lady Himari meant, she again said "OH," with a much heavier tone. Not wanting to outright turn Lady Himari down, she said, "I will speak to Kouta about it." And she would be sure that HE DID turn her down.

"That would be fine."

"In the mean time, let's get to work on what you'll need for the new center," Yuka said to guide Lady Himari off the topic of sleeping with Kouta.

.

Lady Himari? Yes, she's here, hold on," Nana said, then called out, "Lady Himari, phone call for you!"

Lady Himari came in and took the phone. "Lady Himari speaking. ... Why, hello Doctor Noda, no, I do not hold anything against that poor woman ... well because I can sense her brain was normal ... that's right, she was somewhat reactive, but I believe that was due to the situation being much different that she had anticipated. ... If you think it would help, I would be happy to talk to her. Do you know what she was talking about with her rants? ... ah, I see. After I see to other matters, I will visit her. Say, three tomorrow afternoon? ... Two is fine, we'll both see her then. ... Any time, Doctor."

Lucy walked up as Lady Himari hung up the phone and asked, "Who was that?"

"A doctor I met today. He had brought this poor woman by to prove to her that 'murdering diclo...' something or other, did not live here." Lady Himari said off hand. "I was going to speak with her tomorrow about it."

Lucy bit her lip and motioned Lady Himari into a room. "Before you do, we need to talk."

.

Kouta sat in the school office of Mayu's school, waiting for his turn to see the principal. On his way home from looking at the Inn they were thinking about buying for Lady Himari's center, the school had called. The Principal wanted to speak with him. From Mayu's joy at going to school and the good grades she had, he was sure that it was for some kind of praise for Mayu.

The Principal opened his door and ushered Kouta in. On his desk, Kouta noticed a painting.

Turning the painting so Kouta could see it right-side-up, the Principal said, "In art class, Mayu was tasked to make a portrait of her family."

Kouta looked at it and smiled. Mayu had done well, her painting showed herself in front of him. Beside him was Yuka, Lucy, Nana holding Mariko, and Lady Himari standing to the side. "That is very good! She did well on the facial features too. Proportions, color, everything looks great."

"But don't you notice anything odd about this picture?" the Principal asked as he tapped it.

Kouta looked again. "No..." he began, then realized Mayu had painted horns on heads where they belonged. Lady Himari had the white and red tipped horns, Nana sported the flower design Mayu herself had painted on them, and Lucy bore pink-fading to white horns Lady Himari had done for her. "Oh, I see," he said, correcting himself.

"Is there any trouble at home? Something happening that Mayu would consider these girls evil?"

"What? No! Mayu and Nana are the best of friends. They all get along well," Kouta told him.

"Then why would she paint them as devils?" he asked.

Thinking of Nana's silliness, and Lucy's now bouts of devilishness, Kouta shrugged and said, "They do tease each other. Maybe Mayu wanted to show the 'devilishness' in them."

"Is it a mean teasing?" the Principal prodded.

"No way! They do fun things. Like yesterday, Lucy snuck up behind Yuka – that's Yuka there- and tickled her. Lucy was getting the best of Yuka, so Nana snuck up behind Lucy and tickled her." Chuckling, Kouta said, "They ended up in a pile on the floor, laughing and poking at each other."

"Yuka is Mayu's mother, correct?"

"Yes, we adopted Mayu."

The Principal nodded, then asked, "Why the colorfulness on their horns?"

"Maybe to show they are not devilish in a mean way?" Kouta guessed.

"Well," the Principal said in a huff, "Mayu is a bright girl, and appears to be too happy to be suffering any abuse. I think your assessment of the situation is correct, Mayu was being a creative artist. Thank you for coming."

Pointing at the painting, Kouta asked, "May I have that? I'd like to put it up in the hallway at home, if you don't mind. Mayu did a great job on it."

The Principal smiled and said, "Of course, be my guest."

Kouta left the school holding Mayu's painting, thinking that this time, they had dodged a bullet.

.

Lady Himari walked into the Mental Health Institute, armed with the information Lucy had given her. She shuddered at the thought of a word like 'Diclonius' to describe them. It had to have been made up by some twisted individual.

Asking directions, she found Doctor Noda's office. A short wait, and they went to the common area for patients. Lady Himari waited in Miss Arakawa's room until the doctor returned with her.

Upon seeing Lady Himari, Arakawa stiffened. "Did Lucy send you to kill me?" she asked fearfully.

"Of course not, my dear. Please, sit and relax," Lady Himari offered.

"But ... you're one of them." Arakawa stated.

"And what if I am? What if I did have horns on my head? How would that make me dangerous?" Lady Himari asked.

Arakawa glanced at Doctor Noda who stood by the door, and said, "Diclonius kill normal people. Lucy did kill the professor, but the facility hid that information. I did stay at the place you are now. Lucy, a known killer, held me captive until they forced me to drink saki. I woke up on the way to the facility."

"Lady Arakawa, if this Lucy is a deadly killer like you claim, why would she go through all that trouble to trick you?" Lady Himari asked.

"Yuka wouldn't let her kill me," Arkawa stated. "None of them were happy about it, so they discredited me."

"Ahh, I see," Lady Himari said thoughtfully. "So let's say I was one of these... what did you call them?"

"Diclonius."

"Right, diclonius. What would they do if they found out their trick didn't work? Is that why you are afraid they will send someone to kill you?" Lady Himari asked.

Arakawa shrugged and said, "Their trick has worked, no one will believe me."

Leaning forward, Lady Himari held her hands out and said, "Take my hands, dear."

Arakawa did tentatively.

"Now dear, you say these diclonius have power to hurt people?"

"Yes," Arakawa said cautiously.

"How do you know about this ... Lucy, was it?"

"Right, Lucy! She escaped containment, and we thought the SAT team killed her. But I found her and number seven living together in your house."

"How long of a time period have you had things like this on your mind?"

"Years! I went to work for the facility right out of college."

"I see. Now, Lady Arakawa, I would like you to take my hat off, then rejoin hands with me." Lady Himari asked, coaxing her.

Arakawa gently took her had off. Upon seeing Lady Himari's horns a smile lit her face. "I knew it!" she exclaimed. Doctor Noda by the door made a surprised sound.

"Now, take my hands again, dear," Lady Himari coaxed.

Arakawa did so.

"Now you are holding my hands, I cannot attack you..."

"But you can with your vectors," Arakawa quickly said.

Lady Himari tipped her head slightly and said, "OK, then. If I do anything at all to you, Doctor Noda will see. He is right by the door, and will run for help. Can you believe that?"

"Yes."

Lady Himari slipped a thin tendril of mind hand out and eased it into Arkawa's head as she spoke. "Lady Arakawa. You do know what the official report of what happened to you is?"

"Yes, but that's a lie."

Softly, Lady Himari said, "Your story does not ring true with anyone here I talked to. I have found that some people, if they think constantly and hard enough on one particular thing, that thing may overtake them. Some people dream of that thing, say a runner will dream of running. An artist will dream of painting, a farmer will dream about tilling his field. For others, that thing they have been working at for so long, becomes reality to them, especially if they have induced a mind altering substance like alcohol. Your stay at Lucy's house was a very realistic dream made from elements of your work place, and places that you've seen, even very briefly. You worked hard, you knew the name Lucy, and your mind took all those pieces and put them together into something you wanted to see."

Arakawa's face dropped. "That ... could that be?"

"That is why you believe you stayed in a house with Lucy. Tell me, was there a man present?"

"Yes, Kouta, Lucy's lover."

"And have you seen him before?"

"Yes! He's a student at the university."

Lady Himari gave her a satisfied nod. "There you have it. You even supplied Lucy's lover to complete the events you dreamed."

Arakawa gapped at her. "I always did want to believe that diclonius were not just killing machines... that somewhere, they did have a human heart."

"And, isn't that what your experience was all about?" Lady Himari prodded, while she continued to prod Arakawa's suggestion and reasoning centers.

Arakawa nodded. "So, you mean I dreamed ... everything?"

"Apparently, that is the case," Lady Himari said softly. She got up, releasing her hands from Arkawa's, as well as her mind hand. She put her hat on and said, "I want you to think very carefully about this."

"But, you're a diclonius too," Arakawa said, pointing at her.

Lady Himari cast her a crooked grin. "I just wanted to give you a visualization to stimulate the thinking part of your brain. From all I've heard, I thought that showing you horns would do the trick," she explained.

"But at your house..." Arakawa said, then she stopped and asked, "Was that a dream too?"

"No dear, you were there. You called me Nana. You saw what you wanted to see."

"Maybe I did," Arakawa said thoughtfully.

"Good day, dear. Please think hard about what we discussed. I wish you the best."

Once they left the patient area, Doctor Noda asked, "How did you do that so easily? We've been trying for months to convince her what she was telling us wasn't real."

Lady Himari tapped her head. "As I said, a little bit of visualization to stimulate her thinking centers. That and a voice she can relate with can do much for people like her. A little hint of hypnotism works wonders also," she finished with a wink.

"Lady Himari, you are a genius!" Doctor Noda exclaimed. "Would you be free to accept a job offer?"

Lady Himari chuckled and said, "I am sorry doctor, but I am very busy. I can take some cases on a contract basis, but general employment is not an option for me at this time."

"Then, I'll contact you. It has been a pleasure to see you work."

"A woman is coming to her senses, the pleasure was all mine. Good day, Doctor."

.

The family gathered around Mayu's now framed painting as Kouta hung it on the wall in the dinning room.

"Mayu you did a great job on it!" Nana exclaimed.

"Yes, very well done, Mayu," Yuka added.

"Look, she even painted our horns the right colors," Lucy said.

"Thank you, I tried hard to make it look good," Mayu said as she blushed.

"And you did very well, Mayu. Too well in fact," Kouta told her. Gazing down on her he said, "The Principal asked me about the horns."

Mayu clapped a hand to her mouth. "So sorry! I didn't think, I was concentrating on getting it right."

"It's all right this time, I convinced the Principal you were just being creative," Kouta told her. He then added, "From now on, be careful,OK?"

Mayu nodded and said, "I will."

"You better," Lucy growled as she glared at Mayu. As Mayu gapped at her, Lucy's face shifted into a devilish grin and she added, "Or, it's tickle time!" She snapped her hands up, curled like claws. Mayu squeaked out a yelp and got behind Nana.

"Don't you tickle Mayu," Nana said holding her arms out in defense of her friend.

"Then you'll have to do," Lucy said, and latched onto Nana's sides.

Kouta slipped away as Nana laughed and tried to get in a few tickles of her own. Yuka attempted to stop the silliness and got caught in between them. She went down with yelps of laughter and gasping calls for Kouta to come save her.

"I have to check on Mariko," Kouta told them. He knew better to get near them when they were like this.

Lady Himari met him in the hallway. Looking past him to the joyful yelps and bursts of laughing coming from the dinning room, she said, "I see they are at it again."

"Yeah, but it's fun to watch. How did it go?"

Lady Himari cast him a satisfied smile and said, "Just as I planned. Lady Arakawa believes her experience here was a dream. She will most likely return to work soon, and unless I miss my guess, Doctor Noda will be contacting me for tougher cases. There is a good chance that I will see Lady Arakawa again also."

"Umm, Lady Himari, are you sure you want that?" Kouta asked tentatively.

Putting a finger to his lips, Lady Himari cast him an impish grin and said, "I absolutely adore your family, Sir Kouta. If it were possible, I would love to be a part of it." She then gave him a peck on the cheek and went on her way. Casting a smile back at him, she added, "And half the money I make I will give to you, for your wonderful family."

Kouta watched her as she walked away. "I ... ahhh," was all he could get out.

.

Doctor Noda had spend extra time getting ready this morning. His hair was combed perfectly, he put in his new suit and tie, ensured his shoes were polished, and scrutinized his appearance one last time before he went to the entrance of the mental institute.

The drop-dead gorgeous, intelligent and very talented Lady Himari was coming to see a patient.

Arriving a few minutes early, he held the door for this simple yet elegant looking woman as he greeted her. "Thank you for coming, Lady Himari," he said cheerfully.

"The pleasure is all mine, Doctor Noda," she replied in a voice that could charm angels. "Now, where is this patient of yours?"

On the way, Doctor Noda explained to this goddess that the man was a violent psychopathy with a severe persecution complex. The room he led her to was a padded cell. The man within sat in the far corner wrapped in a straight jacket, casting his eyes about the room as if he were about to be attacked.

"We have tried everything on him, even shock therapy. Nothing works," Doctor Noda explained.

Lady Himari nodded slightly and said, "Lock the door behind me."

"Wha... you can't be serious!" Doctor Noda exclaimed.

"Please do so, I will need to keep him contained for a short while," Lady Himari said, then opened the door.

"Orderlies!" Doctor Noda called, then he tied to grab Lady Himari's arm to prevent her from entering. Somehow he missed, and she went in, shutting the door behind her. He didn't remember locking the door, but he heard the click. "Orderlies!" he called again. He tried to open the door, but the lock was stuck.

Rough shaven, and with a wild look in his eyes, the man watched Lady Himari approach. "You are with THEM, I can smell it," he growled at her, and tried to press himself deeper into the corner.

Kneeling in front of him, Lady Himari grabbed his shoulder to hold him still as she sent out a mind hand into his head. "I am with whom?" she asked.

"THEM! The ones who want to torture me!" he yelled in her face.

Gently stroking his mind to calm him, Lady Himari shook her head. "I am alone, and I do not wish you harm. Who is this ambiguous 'them', that torture you so?" she asked gently.

"You know, 'Them', the ones to watch you on the street, the ones who creep into your bedroom, the ones who hide nearby, waiting to strike," he said with wild eyes.

Shaking her head, Lay Himari said, "There is no 'them'. No nameless ones. Try to describe who is it that wants to harm you."

The man twisted in place and looked behind her. "They are be right behind you! They are using you to get to me!" he cried.

In his flailing and screaming fit, Lady Himari brought her minds hands out to help hold him in place. She rose and sat with him in his attempts to flee, but kept him in the corner. She also probed his mind, searching for the cause of his illness. Finding a few mis-grown and shrunken clusters of brain cells, she healed these as she spoke softly to him.

"Poor man, I will make 'them' go away, but you MUST stop believing in 'them'. 'Them' are only shadows. Shadows cannot hurt you."

"But... but" he said as he slowly started to calm down. He struggled against his straight jacket. Lady Himari popped the buckles and freed him. Using her visible hands, she undid the restraints as she said, "Now hold still for a moment."

A pounding sounded at the door. "Lady Himari, you must not do that" Doctor Noda's voice screamed from a speaker.

Cracking a crooked grin at the man, Lady Himari said, "What does he know? Come on let's get you out of this thing." She pulled the straight jacket off and tossed it into the middle of the room. Holding her hands out, she said, "Sir, kindly take my hands."

Gapping at her, the man did so. He looked down, then scanned the room again. "They're gone?" he asked cautiously.

"They were never here. It was a fault in your brain that made you see them. 'Them' will never bother you again, good Sir," she said in her gentle tone.

The man threw his arms around her and cried, "Thank you for making them go away. You are an ANGEL!" he then broke down into sobs.

Hearing the door rattle, Lady Himari released the door mechanisms. The door flew open, spilling a pair of orderlies into the room. She noted they scooped up the straight jacket, and prepared to advance.

"That will not be necessary," Lady Himari said as she stood to face them. "Get this man cleaned up, and find his nearest relative. What he needs now, is to go home."

"Ma'am, move away," a burly orderly said sternly.

Coming in behind the orderlies, Doctor Noda said, "Please, Lady Himari, that man is dangerous!"

"Oh, hogwash!" Lady Himari said in a irritated tone. "He is cured, and he needs the comfort of family and friends." Behind her, the man peeked over her shoulder nervously.

"Please, no more shocks," he begged.

The orderlies looked at Doctor Noda. Doctor Noda nervously motioned them to the sides. "Lady Himari, that man has been committed by the courts. He cannot leave here."

"Then un-commit him. If you will not take him home, I will," Lady Himari stated. Clasping the man's hand she went for the door. One of the big orderlies grabbed her arm, and what happened next left Doctor Noda in shock.

In what looked like a simple shrug and flip of her hand, a loud crack was heard, and the orderly who was a full head taller and three times Lady Himari's weight, went flying into one of the padded walls. Lady Himari turned to him and in a stern voice said, "You are rude Sir! I will not be manhandled!"

The move was so fast, Doctor Noda hadn't even seen it. Dazed, the orderly looked up at her from the floor, and sure enough, a hand mark blazed red on his cheek. The other orderly backed off.

"Lady Himari ... how did you.." Doctor Noda asked, gapping at her.

"I will not be manhandled," Lady Himari stated. "Now Doctor, will you take this poor man home, or shall I?"

.

"Hiroki?" the woman asked as she looked out the door at the trio.

Lady Himari moved clear of the man. He took a step forward and gazed up at the woman. "Dear sister," he said with tears in his eyes. "I .. I can home home now. Lady Himari has cured me. Please, forgive me for ..."

The rest of his words were cut off as the woman hugged him tightly. "Ohh, Hiroki! Welcome home! It's a miracle!"

Beside Lady Himari, Doctor Noda said in a low voice, "Lady Himari, this is only a temporary pass, he is still officially committed. It will take another month to see a judge and have him released."

"He can stay at home until then, can he not?" Lady Himari asked as she enjoyed the reunion before her.

"We can make a special exemption, but if anything ... happens, I will be held responsible."

"I assure you, he is well now. There is no need for concern," she stated.

Gazing at her, Doctor Noda asked, "Lady Himari, may I ask how it is you do ... what you do? I have never met anyone like you my entire life."

Casting him a smirk, Lady Himari replied, "Maybe some day you should visit my village."


	12. Chapter 12 Dr Noda asks a favor

**Doctor Noda asks Lady Himari a favo**r

Lucy brought more bags of groceries into the kitchen. Seeing Yuka reaching up to put things away, Lucy set her load down beside Yuka, then hip-checked her. Yuka stumbled to the side with a squeak, then hip-checked Lucy back.

"You seem happy today," Yuka noted.

Lucy nodded and said, "I am! We got soumen noodles, Mariko is starting to do gaga talk, and best of all.." Shooting an arm in the air, she announced in a musical voice, "It's MY turn today!"

"Uhhh!" Yuka groaned, casting a weary glance at the ceiling. "Just remember Kouta has to work tomorrow, so don't keep him up all night."

"I won't, but we'll be the last ones to use the bath tonight," Lucy said cheerfully. "I was thinking about sitting him up to lean back on the edge while I.."

"NO details, please!" Yuka begged.

Lucy cast her a look of surprise, "But don't you like it when you sit on top?"

Yuka started to nod, and checked herself. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Things like that should remain just between the people involved."

"But we are involved, right? I mean we're family, we share everything, so why not the best ways to.." Lucy was quieted again as Yuka clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Please, no details?" Yuka begged.

"Details on what?" Lady Himari asked as she came in.

Spinning to face Lady Himari, Lucy cried out "Sex with Kouta! I love sex, don't you?"

Yuka flushed in embarrassment. Lady Himari shrugged and said, "I've never had sex."

"You haven't? Ohh, that's too bad. You're really missing out on a fantastic time," Lucy said much to happily for Yuka's tastes.

"Then it is fun?" Lady Himari asked.

"Oh yes! Just come in the bath tonight.."

"LUCY!" Yuka barked. "Lady Himari can't ... be in there with you and Kouta."

"Why not? It's my turn, isn't it?"

Her whole face flushing deep red, Yuka said, "Kouta ... Kouta wouldn't like that!"

"How do you know?" Lucy asked.

"Lady Himari is not one of Kouta's wives," Yuka explained.

"But, she'll just be watching," Lucy countered.

"Excuse me, Lady Lucy," Lady Himari said patiently, "You should consult with Sir Kouta before offering something like that to me."

Lucy looked at her and nodded. "You're right," she said, and left the kitchen.

"Thank you," Yuka said as she let out a tired breath.

Tipping head in a bow, Lady Himari said, "You're welcome. Lady Lucy does seem much happier now that she is healed."

"She's hell on wheels," Yuka said with a grin. "I am happy she is really enjoying life now, but she can be very ... tiring."

From the other room, Kouta yelled, "You want to do WHAT!"

.

Lady Himari walked through the Inn that was to become the new center. It was good sized, and had enough upstairs rooms for staff members quarters. A few wall changes here and there would make the lower floor's evenly spaced rooms into larger classrooms, and smaller treatment rooms. The men had done a fine job selecting this place.

"Hey, I need a hand here!" Kouta called from the back.

"Coming, Kouta!" Lucy called.

Looking out a window at the lawn between the building and the parking lot, Lady Himari paused to watch Nana and Yoko sitting with their children. She let out a sigh of contentment. Hopefully someday, there would be many mothers out there passing time with their children. Seeing a police car pull into the parking lot, her eyes widened. She quickly went to see what they wanted.

"I am looking for Lady Himari, is she here?" a uniformed officer asked as he came into the blocked-open main doors. Yuka, who had been making lunches, stood up and asked, "Is there a problem, Officer?"

Lady Himari came to the entrance. "I am Lady Himari."

The officer bowed slightly and said, "Lady Himari, Doctor Noda said you might be here. There is a situation at the hospital we need your assistance with."

"Yes of course. Lady Yuka, I'll be going now. Please let everyone know what a fine job they are doing."

Lady Himari strode into the wrecked emergency room patient area. Beds of patients lined the walls into the area, doctors and nurses frantically shuffled about. At the doorway to the wrecked room, a couple guards and a policeman knelt, taking turns to peek around the corner. On a stretcher nearby, an orderly held the stump of his arm doctors were working on. Seeing her, Doctor Noda stood up from behind the police and explained what was happening.

"Lady Himari, two accident victims were brought in, a mother and a child. The child came around to consciousness, she began screaming, then somehow she found some kind of weapon..."

Sensing the presence of another of her sect, Lady Himari held a hand up to quiet him. "I see doctor. I would ask that everyone stay quiet."

"If you could just talk to her so the police could move in..." Doctor Noda said, and was quieted by her finger on his lips.

"I will handle it, Doctor," Lady Himari said firmly. Walking around in front of the guards who had their guns drawn, she said in a firm voice, "That girl is scared. Put those away, and please keep everyone still. I will call for who I need, but no one else is to come in, or make any loud noises. The last thing we want to do is frighten her more."

"Frighten HER?" a guard asked, wide-eyed.

"Do you understand?" Lady Himari asked. Once she received nods, she went into the room.

Upon entering, Lady Himari looked over the mess of ripped curtains and scattered equipment. On a gurney was the mother wearing a neck brace and bore clear plastic tubes running from her arms to bags hanging from poles. Curled up against the wall was a young girl with horns who eyed her with eyes wide from terror. Her dress and undergarment were ripped down the front and sported bloodstains.

"What happened, dear?" Lady Himari asked as she approached.

"Stay away," the girl said in a tiny voice. "Stay away or else!"

In her gentle tone, Lady Himari said, "I will not harm you, and you will not harm me. Now dear, tell me what happened."

The girl shot her mind hands out. Lady Himari caught them, then numbed the girl. The girl cried out and scooted back into the corner. "Don't come any closer!" she cried.

Lady Himari went to the gurney and looked over the girl's mother. "You mother is hurt, child. She needs attention, as do you. Please, come here and help me make your mommy better."

The girl stayed tight in her corner, so Lady Himari held her hand out and said, "Dear, your mommy needs help. Please, come here."

"Mommy won't wake up," the girl said in her tiny voice.

"I can help her, but I need you to help me," Lady Himari said gently.

Slowly, the girl rose and came closer, taking small steps.

"Hurry dear, your mommy is in trouble," Lady Himari coaxed.

The girl ran the last few steps, still holding the frightened look in her eyes.

Lady Himari then heard a moan from a tangle of curtain on the floor. A foot moved. "OH dear, this is troublesome," she said with a sigh. She then bent down and picked the girl up to sit her by her mother's side. Taking the girls' hand, she put her mother's hand in it. "Listen closely dear, you MUST stay with your mother. Tell mommy you love her, and everything will be fine. Keep repeating that. She won't get better unless you do, OK?"

The girl nodded and did as she asked.

Lady Himari went over to the piled curtain and exposed a young woman who's arm had been severed. She stopped the bleeding, but couldn't find the missing arm.

"I need a doctor and a nurse," Lady Himari called.

Five people came in, a doctor, a nurse, the two guards and the policeman.

Pointing to them, Lady Himari ordered, "Doctor, see to that girl's mother. Nurse, there is an arm on the floor here somewhere, find it. You other men go back out, keep those people out there calm."

"Please, do as she says," Doctor Noda said as he appeared.

"Doctor Noda, would you kindly assist in the arm search?" Lady Himari asked.

"Ma'am, I need to find that weapon the girl had," the policeman stated.

This was it. Lady Himari had kept her sect's abilities secret until now. The warning Lady Hakata had given her whispered in the back of her mind. If she did not succeed, horrible things would happen. Stiffening herself, she said, "Sir, that girl had no weapon other than her own mind. She is calm now, I would ask you help me keep her so."

"That is impossible!" the Policeman snapped.

Shooting out her mind hands, Lady Himari clamped onto his ankles, belt and collar. She dragged him upright across the floor, his feet plowing through debris and his arms windmilling uselessly until he was only an arm's length from her.

"What you think is possible or not is not my concern!" Lady Himari said sternly, looking up at his face that was wide open in shock. "What does concern me are these people. If you wish to help them, do as I ask. If not, then begone!"

"I found it!" Doctor Noda called from the other side of the room.

Ignoring the policeman in front of her, Lady Himari motioned him over. "Bring it, quickly."

Doctor Noda raced over with the arm. Lady Himari put the woman's arm in place, then concentrated on mending the bone and torn flesh.

"We need to get this woman to surgery, she has a subdural hematoma," the other doctor said urgently.

"Keep her alive and her daughter calm for a few moments, please. Then I will look after her," Lady Himari told him.

"Lady Himari, How.." Doctor Noda asked weakly.

"Doctor Noda, please give him assistance," she replied as she worked at the woman's arm. Besides mending the flesh, she reached in and absorbed the minuscule debris left from the girl chopping the nurse's arm off to begin with. If she left it, then this woman would also end up with children she was unprepared to deal with.

"I have to hold mommy's hand!" the girl cried.

Lady Himari turned to see the doctor trying to get the girl down from the gurney. The girl desperately clutched at her mother. "Doctor, leave her be!" she said firmly.

Doctor Noda talked to the other doctor, and he let the girl stay with her mother. "I must examine her," the doctor insisted.

"I will attend to her, just keep her alive," Lady Himari stated, and put the nurse's arm back together. Once she was done, she had the other nurse and the doctor take care of the passed-out nurse, and turned her attention to the girl's mother. She noted the policeman hadn't moved, but at least he was staying quiet.

The girls' mother only suffered from broken ribs, and few heavy bruises, one being inside her head. Lady Himari healed the ribs and her head injury. She then told the girl, "OK dear, ask mommy to wake up."

"Mommy, please wake up, it will be OK," the girl pleaded.

They all watched as the woman opened her bruised eyes. Lifting her head, she asked, "What happened?"

"Mommy!" the girl cried and climbed up onto her mother to hug her tightly.

Lady Himari," Doctor Noda said in a reverent tone, "Please confess, are you an angel?"

"No one move!" a booming voice commanded.

Lady Himari turned to see a suited man standing beside a line of four men in combat gear carrying automatic rifles. "There is no need for you to be here. This is a center for healing, not a combat zone," she said sternly.

"We came for that girl. Stay calm and no one will get hurt," The man said as he approached.

Lady Himari blocked his way. "Good sir! You will not take that child. What you will do is turn around and leave this place."

"Stand aside!" the man said, and grabbed Lady Himari to push her out of the way . A loud crack sounded. As he recoiled, one of his hands flailed out, hitting her hat to knock it from her head. He flew back into his men, who were now staring at Lady Himari.

"You are rude Sir! If you men wish to act like children, I shall treat you as children!" Lady Himari stated loudly.

Recovering from the power-slap, the man pointed at Lady Himari and shouted, "She's ... a Diclonius, KILL HER!"

.

It was dark by the time Doctor Noda pulled up to the steps of the Maple Inn. He turned to Lady Himari and asked, "Are you sure it is fine to leave you in that big house all by yourself? After today, I fear for your safety."

"I will be fine, Doctor," Lady Himari assured him. "If anyone is in danger, it is that little girl. Please be sure to check on her and her mother early tomorrow. I will stop by to see them when I can." She opened the door to get out.

"Lady Himari!" Doctor Noda said quickly. "You have yet to give me an answer, are you some kind of angel?"

Lady Himari laughed. "No Doctor, I am as mortal as you are. Have a safe trip home, Doctor. Good evening."

Doctor Noda again tried to stop her, but she had already shut the door behind her. He kept the lights shining on the stairs until her graceful form was lost from view. To himself, he said, "Lady Himari, to me you ARE an angel."

.

"Top story tonight. Armed combat soldiers, zero, unarmed woman, five spanked bottoms and one slapped face," the newswoman said. Beside her appeared a picture of Lady Himari leaving the hospital.

"This woman, who has asked not to be identified, was confronted by five men armed with automatic weapons during a possible hostage situation at a local hospital. Apparently, she had diffused the situation in question. Armed men claiming to be a SAT force arrived and attempted to kidnap a child at gunpoint. When this woman refused to give the child up, the men opened fire on her. Miraculously, no one was injured by the gunfire. The men however, suffered bare bottomed spankings at the hands of this woman, then were arrested by police. Officials refuse to comment on who those men were, but did say that an investigation is underway. Hospital officials are not giving any statements, though one doctor did say that if someone does approach this woman, they should be respectful and if they 'act like children', then they will be 'treated as children'."

The picture beside her shifted to show a trashed emergency room.

"In addition to administering corporal punishment to armed gunmen, the woman also reportedly performed 'hands on' healing, including reattaching the severed arms of a nurse and an orderly. Another woman, who was due for emergency surgery was also healed and fully conscious. At the request of this woman, we will not give out her name." A smirk grew on the newswoman's face as she added, "We do not wish to be considered 'as children'."

"That was Lady Himari!" Nana exclaimed as she tugged at Kouta's sleeve.

Curled up on the other side of Kouta, Yuka said in a far away tone, "So that's why the police came to get her today?"

"That was great," Lucy giggled from her place stretched out on the floor in front of them. "Bad boys! Whack whack whack! Hehe."

"She sure is going high profile," Kouta mussed. "I wonder how long it will be before armed men show up here."

No one will be coming here," Lady Himari said as she entered. Looking at the television, she asked, "What's this?"

"You're on the news. You really spanked those men?" Mayu asked.

Lady Himari watched the scene of the men with tape holding their pants up being taken out in handcuffs and said, "Why such a fuss? Is discipline that rare here?"

"Like that it is," Kouta said with a chuckle.

Rolling over on her back to look up at Lady Himari, Lucy asked, "They tried to kill you, why didn't you kill them?"

"Two wrongs do not make a right, dear. However, a bit of pain and embarrassment can do wonders," Lady Himari told her.

"You missed dinner, I'll fix you something," Yuka said and moved to get up.

Lady Himari waved her down and said, "I had dinner with Doctor Noda, thank you for your concern. I am rather tired, so I'll be turning in now. Good night everyone."

"Ohhh a Doctor! Good night, Lady Himari," Yuka said happily. She cuddled back up to Kouta, relieved that Lady Himari had found someone else to have a child with.

Propping herself up on her elbows, Lucy frowned at Yuka and said, "Isn't it my turn tonight?"

Yuka shrugged and replied, "You're the one who laid on the floor. I just came in and got comfortable."

Flopping down, Lucy said, "That's OK." Stretching out, she added with a smile, "We'll get plenty comfortable in the bath, right Kouta?"

"Hold on! No pervertedness in the bath, we have to go in there too," Mayu said crossly.

Lucy stuck her tongue out at Mayu and said, "You'll be asleep."

"Speaking of that," Nana said with a yawn. "I think I'll turn in too. I want to get some sleep before Mariko wakes up again." Getting up, she kissed Kouta, then shook her chest and bumped him in the face with her large breasts. "Hehe, I love doing that, good night!" she said with a giggle.

"I'm coming too, I think it's going to get perverted in here," Mayu said, then waved a good night as she followed Nana.

As Nana left, Lucy jumped up onto the couch and settled down to rest her head on Kouta's free shoulder. "Hey Yuka, if we take our turns together, they we will both have twice as many," she mussed.

Kouta let out a sigh and said in Yuka's ear, "And you call me perverted?"

.

Doctor Noda arrived at the Maple Inn early to pick up Lady Himari. On his way to the gate, a dark haired girl came out with her dog. Seeing him, the dog barked at him. The girl asked, "Who are you?"

"I am Doctor Noda. Is Lady Himari available?" he asked.

"You're the Doctor! Hi, I'm Mayu. Lady Himari is inside, go on in!" the girl said cheerfully.

He thanked her and went in, shutting the gate behind him. Somewhere off to the side of the neatly kept courtyard, he heard a pair of young women having some kind of argument.

"Yuka said only ONE, this one is mine!"

"But I'm hungry!"

"PHHHH, too bad, this is mine."

"Kouta would let me have some."

Walking up to the door, he realized the names the girl spoke sounded familiar to him. Where had he heard those names before? Dismissing it, he knocked on the door and held the roses he bought in front of him for Lady Himari to see the second she opened the door.

A woman did open the door, a pretty young dark haired woman.

"May I help you?" she asked.

Disappointed, doctor Noda said, "I was looking for Lady Himari, I thought she lived here. My name is Doctor Noda."

The woman's face lit up. "Doctor Noda, how nice to see you! Lady Himari has spoken much about you," she said cheerfully.

A thump sounded behind him. He turned to see a busty violet haired young woman race past him holding an ice cream cone in each hand. Motion from above caught his eye. Another young woman, this one with pink hair, came down and landed hard on her feet, and chased the other girl. "Ha!" she cried, and the violet haired girl's legs flipped up behind her, sending her in a headlong dive. Holding the ice cream cones up, the violet haired girl stopped her fall with nothing to hang in the air a few inches from the floor. As she kept from dashing her face into the floor, the pink haired girl vaulted over her and grabbed the ice cream cones from her hands and ran out of sight.

"STOP IT, no running in the house!" the dark haired woman yelled.

"Hey, you can't have both of them!" The violet haired woman yelled as she regained her feet.

"Nana, stop it!"

Nana stood up and pointed where the pink haired woman had run off to. "But Yuka, Lucy took my ice cream too!"

"Go get another, if you keep this up you'll wake Mariko." Yuka said sternly.

"Ohhh," Nana whined.

"I see things are lively today," Lady Himari said as she came into the entryway holding an ice cream cone. She gave Nana the ice cream and said, "Only one, Nana dear. Behave yourself." Turning to Doctor Noda, she offered a sweet smile and said, "Hello, Doctor."

Doctor Noda was speechless. Both the women that flew past had horns like Lady Himari. He also remembered where he had heard their names. The story that no one would believe. The story Lady Himari had convinced Miss Arakawa was only a dream.

"Ahhh, Lady Yuka, isn't that sweet? Doctor Noda brought you flowers," Lady Himari said as Doctor Noda's mind churned. She plucked them out of his hand and gave them to Yuka. "We'll be going now. Please remind Sir Kouta we will need his assistance at the center when he gets home. Come Doctor."

Doctor Noda complied as Lady Himari hooked her hand under his arm and turned him. When they were walking back to the gate, he finally found his voice. "Lucy, Yuka, Nana, Kouta. You lied to Miss Arakawa," he said.

"I misled her," Lady Himari said, distinguishing the difference. "Lady Arakawa would have never gotten out of your hospital if I hadn't. More importantly, certain people are out to kill those girls you just saw. I must keep them hidden for the time being," she explained in a gentle voice.

"But, neither of them act like homicidal maniacs. More like ... normal girls," he said.

"It is a long story, Doctor. I will fill you in as you drive me to the hospital."

.

Kobe sat in the lobby of the hospital where the diclonius' mother was recovering. He'd visited her room to find a policeman on guard at the door. Not wanting to press his luck, he decided to wait in the lobby to see if the silver haired diclonius showed up. He was alone today. His request for an armed escort or SAT team was turned down. He had to do this himself. There was enough poison in the ring on his finger for two injections, one for each diclonius. There was only one bright spot, this silver haired diclonius was not a killer. At the worst, he'd be leaving with a sore butt.

Watching the entrance, he saw the silver haired woman coming in with a doctor. He rose, stiffened himself, and went to intercept them. As he approached, another man also moved towards them. The man pulled out a recorder and got to them first.

"Lady Himari? I am reporter Mitsubisu, may I talk with you?" the man said as he walked backwards in front of her.

"On my way out, not now. Please wait for my return," Lady Himari said.

"Yes, Ma'am." the reporter said, and got out of her way. He also got into Kobe's way.

"Please, Lady Himari," Kobe called.

She waved a hand back at him, saying, "On my way out, Sir, not now."

"Don't press her unless you want a sore ass," the reporter told him.

Kobe got clear of the reporter and walked as fast as he dared to, trying to catch Lady Himari. It was tempting to run up and slap her on the shoulder to inject her, but doing so would draw attention to himself. Taking long steps, he slowly caught up. He readied his ring, pressing the side to make the short needle pop out. Enough contact in her skin to release the poison was all he needed.

The doctor and Lady Himari turned and got into an elevator. Just the two of them. Quickly, Kobe pondered on if he should enter and inject her, then the doctor. Even if he did kill them, it would be obvious who did so. He walked on. His time would come later.

.

"You are a very good girl, and your headband is really cute!" Lady Himari said to the child sitting on the windowsill by her mother's bed.

Beaming a smile back at Lady Himari, the girl said, "Mommy made it for me to go home with today. Daddy is picking us up."

Lady Himari handed the bruised woman a card. "This is the location of the center we spoke of. Please be sure to come. All of your family will need help and guidance. Remember to put more cream on her headband every day until someone can train her properly. "

"Thank you, Lady Himari, for everything. Won't you stay until my husband arrives? I know he will want to thank you also."

"You are recovering, and no one was permanently injured, that is thanks enough for me. Good day, I wish you the best," Lady Himari said with a bow.

When they got on the elevator, Doctor Noda turned to Lady Himari with quivering, moist eyes and said, "You, my fine Lady, are an angel."

"Ohh doctor, there are some who would differ with you." she replied lightly.

Clasping her hand, he got down on a knee and blurted out, "And I would be deeply honored if you would be MY angel. I beg of you, Lady Himari, please marry me!"

"Doctor!" Lady Himari said in shock. Recovering, she said, "I am a white robe, Doctor. I cannot marry."

"I understand you are a healer, so am I. You can still perform your acts of mercy as my wife. I will be forever devoted to you. Please accept my proposal," Doctor Noda begged.

"I am honored that you would think of me so," Lady Himari said as she helped him to his feet. "But there is much more to being a white robe than healing. I do enjoy that part very much. Nothing is more fulfilling than helping people. There is a darker side to my station in life, Doctor. One I pray you do not have to witness."

"I don't care. Whatever you have to do, I am sure there is a good reason for it. I just want to be a part of your life," Doctor Noda begged.

"You are Doctor. You are a good friend and ally. That is what I need the most right now," Lady Himari explained.

Taking out a handkerchief, Doctor Noda wiped his eyes, making his glasses bump up. "I shall be that for you, my dear Lady. I will also keep asking for your hand in marriage until you accept," he stated.

The elevator doors opened to show the hallway beyond packed with cameras and microphones. The people carrying the burden all swiveled their equipment to point at Lady Himari. Their requests for interviews became a garble of frantic speech as they bore down on her.

Gapping at the crowd, Lady Himari used her mind hands and slammed the doors shut. "Doctor, is there another way out of the hospital?" she asked, taken aback by the mass.

"Yes, my Lady, we'll go to the basement and take the stairs to the parking lot. Just stay out of sight while I get the car."

.

"Awww, there there, Mommy is here now," Nana cooed as Mariko cried in her arms. Seeing Mariko pull at her shirt, Nana pulled it up and offered her a nipple. Mariko latched on and drank.

"I bet that feels nice," Lucy said as she sat on the floor watching.

"Yes, it does," Nana said with a satisfied smile. Her smile faded as she asked, "Lucy, do you think Lady Himari will be OK with all this attention she's getting? What if more of those men come after her and she can't spank them all?"

Lucy let out a sigh and said, "Then I suppose I'll have to go help her. I don't want to kill, but will if I have to."

"I hope you don't. I like you this way," Nana said seriously.

Offering Nana a brief smile, Lucy said, "Me too. I want us to stay together forever, you, me, Kouta and Yuka."

"And Mayu and all of the children we're going to have?" Nana prodded.

"Yes, them too. Nana, you know Mayu will most likely move away when she grows up."

"If Mayu leaves, I will miss her a lot," Nana mussed, "But most of all, I want her to be happy. So if she wants to leave, then I'll do my best to support her."

"Lady Himari, are you OK?" Yuka's voice asked in a worried tone.

Lucy perked up and went to go see what happened. Nana followed. They found Yuka standing over Lady Himari, who was sitting on the stool by the grandfather clock.

"What happened? Did you get attacked again?" Lucy asked as she looked at Lady Himari's frazzled expression.

Shaking her head, Lady Himari said, "Only by more people wanting to talk to me... than is in my whole village!" Waving her hand, she said, "Outside the elevator, on the stairs to the parking lot, in the parking lot, Doctor Noda couldn't even move the car! They were not rude, simply overwhelming. I tried to excuse myself more times that I can count, but more kept coming. I finally had to use my mind hands to jump a fence and get away. Even then, a large group chased me until I lost them."

"And all they wanted to do was talk to you?" Lucy asked. "Not one had a gun?"

"Just more cameras that I ever dreamed existed," Lady Himari said blankly.

"Lady Himari, you've made a name for yourself. They want to find out all about you," Yuka said.

"But.. why? I am no one special, I am only a servant to my people."

Lucy shook her head, saying, "That's not right. You are special, Lady Himari."

"Would you consider a press conference?" Yuka asked.

"What's that?"

"That is where all those people come to hear what you have to say. Tell them about yourself. They ask questions, you answer. Everyone hears, and you don't get bombarded by them all at once," Yuka explained.

"And if I do this, then they will no longer lay in wait to talk to me?" Lady Himari asked.

"A few may, but the general curiosity will be satisfied." Yuka explained.

Nodding in thought, Lady Himari said, "Yes, if they all must speak to me that would be the best way."

.

Director Kakazuawa glared at Kobe. "Your failure will bring disaster!" he roared. "Not only has that Diclonius made fools of us and caused our facility to be investigated, the media is making her out to be a saint. GET RID OF HER!"

Standing before the director's wrath, Kobe bowed deeply. "I will not fail again, Sir. May I have the use of a sniper with an anti-tank gun?"

"We no longer have use of the SAT, or any weapons," Director Kakazuawa grumbled. "As for your means, use whatever you can. A gun, poison, explosives, I don't care. Just make her dead and do it fast. Fail again, and you will be the one to die. Now go."

"Yes, Sir," Kobe said and left.

.

"The angel of Kamakura, she is indeed," Doctor Noda said, reading the headlines in the newspaper. Lowering the paper, he noted the two men with cameras that had followed him into the restaurant were still there. They had taken a table in clear view of his, waiting to get a shot of Lady Himari. He wanted to go see if Lady Himari made it home, but feared being followed.

Doctor Noda's cell phone rang. He ignored it, sure it was another request to talk to Lady Himari. He listened to the message that was left.

"Doctor Noda, this is Yuka. Lady Himari is home, and is concerned about how you fared. She requests you contact someone to set up a news conference for her at a public place of your choosing."

He called her back.

.

This would be the best chance he would have. Kobe listened to the news, and noted the place of the press conference Lady Himari was giving. He had to admit, this one was crafty. By healing and saving people, she was being looked upon as some kind of savior. If she was allowed to have her say at that conference, that devil woman might well lead people to believe that diclonius were acceptable into society. People would greet diclonius with open arms, just before thousands were torn to shreds. That would be the beginning of the end for mankind. In his search for an assassin, he contacted the local Yakuza.

In the dim light of the corner booth at the cafe, Kobe met with the man. On the way in, he noticed quite a few heavily tattooed men slowly sipping their drinks. He went to the dark booth where a large, gray haired man sat. The man motioned him to take the other seat. He did so.

"What is it you want?" the man asked.

Kobe took out a photograph of Lady Himari and said, "She is going to have a press conference at the historic site in the Diabutsu pass. I do not want her to speak."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Such a waste, she would make a fine Geisha. It will not be a problem. Did you bring the money?"

Kobe pulled out the fat envelope and slid it to him. "Half now, half when it's done. I must warn you, she will not be easy to take down."

The man laughed, a dark humorless laugh. "I watch the news. Young fools with standard equipment she was obviously prepared to deal with. She will not be prepared for what I have in mind."

"May I ask how you will solve our problem?"

"You pay me to act, not speak. Come here again after it is done. Speak to no one of this." the man said in a serious tone, then waved him away.

Kobe stood, bowed and left. Just to be on the safe side, he'd be there as close as he could get to her. If that man missed, he'd offer his body to protect her, and inject her with his ring.

.

The early morning sky was painted with pre-dawn as the gray haired man set up his 50 caliber machine gun on the ridge overlooking Diabutsu pass. Far below and down the pass, barely visible with the naked eye even in bright sunlight, was the historic site. A platform, microphone and speakers were in place for the upcoming press conference. Once he had his heavy gun set up on it's tripod between a pair of boulders, he looked through the 20 power scope and moved his gun on target. The platform was brought right up to him as if he were standing in front of it.

This was his favorite weapon. Using the machine gun as a single-shot, the high powered, armor piercing 50 caliber round was accurate and heavy enough to smash through any known armor. Setting his range finder, he happily noted he was only half a kilometer from his target. He'd put bullets into heads from this gun at twice that range. Traveling over twice the speed of sound, his round would strike long before the report of his weapon arrived. The chaos would come only after his bullet hit the target and he was packing up to leave. Another bonus from this gun was that he didn't have to wonder if he had made a fatal hit. The red spray from the impact would inform him of his kill.

Lighting a cigarette, he settled down with his spotter's scope and waited for his target to show up.


	13. Ch 13 Lady Himari asks for a conference

"I have an idea for Kouta's birthday!" Nana said with a broad grin as she plopped one of Mayu's school books on the table, then stabbed a picture.

Yuka and Lucy looked. The picture was of a sultan and his mid-eastern harem.

"Who's that?" Lucy asked.

Yuka flushed as she got Nana's meaning. "You want us to dress up as harem girls?"

"Yeah! Those costumes are cute, and we'll get Kouta the big round hat, those rugs and pillows, everything!" Nana said brightly.

"All take our turn at once?" Lucy asked.

Nana nodded and Yuka flushed deeper and said, "But..."

"It will be a party, and we won't have to worry about who's turn it is," Nana said happily.

Yuka planted her hand over her face, shook her head and mumbled, "There's a name for parties like that."

"I like it," Lucy said. "It looks like this one is dancing," she noted.

"It's called a belly dance," Yuka grumbled.

"You can make your belly dance?" Nana asked, then lifted her shirt up and wiggled her stomach.

Hip-checking Yuka, Lucy said, "Come on it's looks like fun. Let's try it."

"I'll think about it," Yuka said to get them off the subject, then hip-checked Lucy back.

"Ama!" Mariko called out in her small voice and reached out for Nana as Mayu brought her in.

Mayu handed Mariko to Nana, then frowned as she looked at her school book. With a sigh, she said, "You're not getting perverted with my books, are you?"

"Thinking about it," Lucy mussed.

"Ughh!" Mayu grumbled, and snatched her book up. "Not with MY books you don't!"

Trying again to shift the topic, Yuka said, "All right, let's get going. We have to be at the new center to support Lady Himari."

.

"I don't think this is necessary," Lady Himari said as a pair of men Doctor Noda called 'bodyguards' wrapped her in a long gray coat , wide brimmed hat, large sunglasses and a scarf.

"Better safe than sorry, "Ma'am," one of the burly men told her as he flipped the collar up so only hat and coat showed from the back.

"I can defend myself," Lady Himari reminded them.

"I have no doubts of that," a trench-coated detective said, "But those men who attacked you at the hospital indicated there is an organization who wants to kill you. Until we can complete the investigation, this is the only safe way for you and everyone around you to travel."

"Lady Himari, you should listen to them," Lucy said, wearing her own heavy disguise of a floppy hat and long coat. Only a bit of her pink hair peeked out from around her face.

"Lady Lucy, you should not come. You have a family," Lady Himari said sternly.

"And if there is trouble, neither they nor I would want to see you face it alone," Lucy replied in the same tone. "I'm going to be right beside you. My family will be right here at the center watching on TV. They won't be the ones standing in the open by themselves."

"When we get there, both of you walk to the tent. Once we check the area, we'll give you an all clear. Then you may begin your press conference, Lady Himari." the detective explained.

"It is wise to be safe, my lady," Doctor Noda said.

One bodyguard opened the news van side door. The other waited until they were all in, then got in and shut it.

.

A half a kilometer away from the conference site up atop a ridge, the gray haired man watched people arrive through his spotting scope. News crews pulled equipment out of their vans. Others who had brought cars were busy unloading their trunks. He focused on one young woman with a microphone that had a great shape.

"She'd be good," he chuckled to himself. It had been a while since he'd kidnapped a plaything. If today went well, he just might treat himself to cute news woman.

Seeing motion on the road, he watched another news van come in from town. This one pulled up beside the others. Unlike the others, two forms got out dressed in long covering coats and hats. A couple guards and a police detective got out and began searching the area.

He shifted to his weapon. Drawing his view in close, he eyed the bundled forms with his thumb on the butterfly trigger of the machine gun. He searched the cloaked forms, but could not find one bit of the telltale silver hair on either of them. They passed by some trees, obscuring his view. He did note from the snatches he did see though the leaves, that they had gone into a tent.

His target was here. He didn't know which of the forms was this silver haired woman, but his gut told him it was one of the two. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed. They would come out. If they happened to both line up one in front of the other in his sights, he'd take the shot. If not, he could wait until the woman walked up onto the platform. One shot, one bloody kill.

.

"So, if someone with a gun does come, can I spank him this time?" Lucy asked as she threw the large hat on a folding chair and shrugged her coat off.

"Do not underestimate the enemy. They know we are of the sect now, so they will be prepared," Lady Himari said, then added, "That is, if anyone does show up."

"I bet they will. I'm going to keep a close watch on the crowd. They could even be on one of the hillsides around us." Lucy mussed.

"Or behind us," Lady Himari said ominously. "Ready sneak up on us at any moment!"

Lucy eyed her and said, "I am being serious."

"If you are worried, I will go up alone."

"No, I'm staying with you."

"Only because I think we'll be safe with the security being set up for us," Lady Himari said. Lifting her hair to scrutinize it, she said, "Would you be kind enough to comb my hair for me? I don't want to go meet people looking like a child who was playing in a field."

Lucy shrugged and said, "With a hat on, who'll know?"

Lady Himari looked at Lucy wearing a serious face as she said, "The time for hats is over, dear. Our sect once again must make their presence known. Or, are you satisfied with ruthless people kidnapping and killing our young?"

Lucy stared at her. "You know about that facility?" she asked.

"We have known for a few years something wasn't right. As of late, Lady Hakata has discovered what that something is. That is why she sent me to correct the situation."

Lucy squeezed her fists and said "YES! You're here to fight them."

"I am here to correct the situation," Lady Himari restated. "And doing so without tarnishing my honor as a white robe, and keeping our village safe from any repercussions. It will not be an easy task, and close to impossible if we kill even a single person without blatant due cause."

"I want to do everything I can to help you," Lucy said sincerely.

"I know, dear. Listen my council and restrain this impulse you have for taking lives. Keep at the top of your mind that killing is the last thing we want to do. Remember, any death will look very bad for our people."

Lucy grew a smirk and asked, "So, if there is a gunman, I can spank him?"

"As long as you cause no permanent injury, be my guest."

.

Kouta sat sprawled out on the couch in the sun room of the center that now had furniture and a working television. Kita, who should have been helping him set this room up, was off talking to some women. Kouta tossed his sweat band off and called, "Yuka, Nana, they'll be on in a few minutes."

Nana came in holding Mariko. She sat to Kouta's right, snuggling up under his arm. Mariko sent a searching arm toward him. "Pe pa," she said as she waved her arm at him.

"Papa, go to Papa?" Nana asked her as she passed Mariko over to Kouta.

"Hey sweetie," Kouta said as he held his daughter. Trying to stand, Mariko bounced up and down on his lap as she kicked. Slapping at his face, she cried, "Pepa Pepa!"

"Is it time yet?" Yuka called from the doorway.

"Almost," Kouta said, then winced from a baby hand smacking his eye as she cried, "Pepa!" "They are doing the introduction thing," he got out before Mariko pushed a hand against his lips.

"They're on," Yuka said as she came in, pointing to the screen that showed Lady Himari exit the tent with Lucy right behind her. Guards stationed themselves to the sides.

The announcer said, "Here she comes! And not only does she have horns like the rumors claim, but there is another pink haired woman with her who also has horns. Folks, this press conference may be full of surprises for us."

A co-announcer said, "Indeed. If you notice, both have made their horns part of their makeup routine. I like the white-red tipped ones Lady Himari has. I am sure someone will ask if those colors have a significant meaning."

"Like that white robe she wears. No one has seen her in anything but that white robe. Perhaps it is a religious symbol, like the cloaks monks wear."

The newsmen kept chattering as Lady Himari climbed the few steps onto the platform and walked to the mic.

Yuka sat down by Kouta, then frowned and asked, "Where's Mayu, she'll want to see this too."

"I'll go get her," Nana said, and got up to go get her friend.

.

"That white robe will look wonderful stained with her blood," the gray haired man said with a grin. He tracked his target with the gun scope, making tiny adjustments to keep his gun on target. He picked a spot on the platform halfway between the steps and the microphone and waited. Taking into consideration the silver haired woman's gait, and how long the bullet would take to get there, he waited until her hips were square in his sights, and he pushed down on the butterfly trigger. The gun barked and shook, making him loose sight of his target momentarily. He waited for the scope to come back into focus and watched, sure he had just fired a perfect head shot.

_The massive bullet that was as the size of a man's thumb, left the gun at two and a half times the speed of sound. Pointed as a normal bullet, it cut through the air, leaving a small sonic boom in it's wake. The tail of the bullet was all but pointed also, the air slipped around the bullet with nearly zero drag, meaning the long flight would not cut down it's speed on the way to the target. It would arrive with all but a tiny percent of it's impact capability intact. With nothing to impede it, the bullet raced down toward the platform and Lady Himari._

Lucy sensed the incoming round and instinctively threw up a shield to divert it. Lady Himari also threw her shield up to knock the bullet to the side. As the bullet neared them, the combined force of their shields bumped the heavy slug off course. It blasted through a guards' head, the brain and bone slowing it some, then it continued on thirty more yards before it met the ground. Hitting a rock at a small angle, the bullet bounced back up into the air and cleared the trees as the rock shattered. There was a slight wobble in it now due to impact with the rock, but it was still traveling at twice the speed of sound.

Lady Himari recoiled as bits of brain and bone splattered her in the side of her face. The sudden attack sharpened Lucy's instincts, she ignored the gore and searched for the shooter. "Where is he? It came from up the pass!" she yelled. She searched the road, it was empty. Like a pointer in her mind, she knew the direction the shot came from, but she couldn't see anyone there.

"Clear the platform!" Lady Himari yelled, and pushed the other bodyguard, making him fly into the crowd of reporters.

"Lady Himari!" Doctor Noda screamed as he vaulted up the steps.

"Get away from me!" Lady Himari screamed back, and used her mind hands to shove him into the crowd of reporters who were gapping in shock at the dead guard.

"I don't see him!" Lucy cried, desperately searching for a man with a gun.

"He's high, stay behind me, focus that way!" Lady Himari commanded, pointing in the direction Lucy knew was right, but higher toward the ridge top.

"GET OUT OF THERE!" the detective screamed at them.

"NO! Get away from me, I am the target!" Lady Himari screamed back as she watched in the direction the bullet came from. "Lucy, help me stop the next ones. Reach out a far as you can. Don't let one get by us again!"

"That was incredibly heavy, can we stop it?" Lucy asked in a squeak.

"We have to! Now focus with everything you've got," Lady Himari commanded.

.

He missed. The guard two feet to the left of his target was all but headless, but his target was now pointing at him and yelling to people. Strangely, she stayed in place and didn't try to flee. He figured there must have been a wind shear, but the air currents he saw through the scope didn't look like enough to move his bullet so far off target. A typhoon force wind was needed to push that heavy of a slug. He adjusted to the right, and took aim again. The woman looked his way, as if daring him to hit her.

"And a martyr you shall be", he muttered, and shot again.

_The second bullet followed very close to the path of the first. Coming down, it passed by Lady Himari and Lucy. Hitting their combined shield at an angle made it deflect far to the right and towards the news people. It passed between a pair of news men and crashed into the front of a news van, burying itself in the motor block. Parts of the engine broke apart from the impact and like a pool balls struck by another, the engine pieces flew up, ripping holes in the hood before landing on the ground._

_The first bullet traveled three more kilometers. It had reached the high point of it's arc and was coming back to earth. Slowing to just a little more than the sped of sound, it neared the ground and passed though the wall of an Inn that was being converted into a specialized community center. The impact on it's way through the wall was enough to make it tumble, but before it had a chance to turn end over end, it slowed for three meters, then plowed through flesh and bone sideways, a couch, then bounced off a floor to smash through another wall and expend the last of it's energy burying itself in a thick ceiling beam._

_.  
><em>

Lady Himari Pointed at the spot. "Do you see?" she asked.

"Yes," Lucy said, glancing at the now destroyed van. People were now diving to the ground and covering their heads.

"Lady Himari, GET DOWN!" Doctor Noda screamed in terror as he struggled to get to the platform.

Kobe saw the doctor's actions, and came out of his shock. He got up and raced to the platform. His assassin had missed, he would have to kill Lady Himari himself.

.

Seeing the second shot went wild, the gray haired man cursed. Did he pull, or bump the gun somehow? The police would have heard the gunfire by now, and would be searching for him. The smart thing to do would be to leave. Still, his honor was at stake. He'd taken this job, he had to eliminate the target that still stood wide open. Re-leveling his aim, he shot again. This time, he saw a small black hole appear dead center, right on the top of his target's chest.

He got her.

He watched, but she didn't fall. No red spray had burst out in back of the two women either. He watched a pair of men scramble to climb onto the platform. The pink haired woman glanced at them, and they flew back into the crowd that was cowering on the ground.

This was impossible! It had to have been a bad round. He shot again, this time a 'double-tap'. He shot, then as soon as his scope settled back on target, he shot again. Watching his target, he saw two more black dots appear. One right over her heart, and the other square between her breasts. He also saw his target's mouth move. It looked like she said, "Go get him." The pink haired woman flew away to the side. What he saw next made him afraid for the first time in his life.

The dots grew in size, becoming longer, then shorter as if turning around. They gathered over the target's arm that was pointed at him, then they disappeared. A few seconds later, three rounds struck the boulder beside him, spattering him with stone chips. He ducked, and the realization of what just happened sunk in.

That woman had just shot his own bullets back at him!

Below on the road in the pass, sirens sounded. The frightening woman in the white robe was still watching him, waiting for him to try again. It was time to leave.

.

Kobe landed on a newsman. Angry and frightened of failure, he got up and popped the needle out on his ring. He again ran for the platform, not caring about a premise of saving the diclonius, or who saw him. He HAD to kill her. Just ahead of him, the other man who'd tried to get to Lady Himari was clambering up on the platform. Kobe clapped a hand on his shoulder and used him as leverage to get up. The man cried out and hung on. Kobe made it onto the platform to be halted in place. It felt like a hand on him, but nothing was there. The man beside him clutched his chest and collapsed to roll off the platform. Without thinking, he'd used his ring hand to grab the man's shoulder.

Lady Himari cast a quick glance at them, then did a double-take. "Doctor Noda!" she cried.

Desperate to inject her, Kobe strained against the force holding him. Lady Himari looked at him in disbelief, then anger. Stars appeared before his eyes and the world went black.

.

Using her vectors, Lucy flew along the road, eyeing the place where the bullets came from. Below her, police cars followed, sirens wailing. Coming to the ridge that bowed out, she marked the spot, and jumped high, then climbed, searching. Flying up above the top, she noted the large gun between the rocks, and the man jogging away down a winding path. She flew ahead of him and landed in his path. He stopped short, gapping at her.

"No running," Lucy said with an evil grin. "You've been a bad boy."

The man with the gray hair pulled out an automatic pistol and shot. He kept shooting, expecting her to fall. The only thing that fell were the bullets that had stopped in front of her as he emptied gun. A short metallic rain sounded as she let them fall to the ground.

"Are you done yet?" Lucy asked with a twitch of her head.

"What are you!" the man cried.

"The one who punishes you," she said with a wicked grin.

The man turned to flee. Lucy grabbed him by his ankles with her vectors and flipped him upside down. She ripped his pants open, he yelped in surprise. He yelled in pain, flailing as she spanked him.

"Now this is fun," Lucy with a giggle.

.

Lady Himari sat cradling Doctor Noda's body as tears flowed from her eyes. Her voice was a whine as she looked down on him and begged, "Please, please, Yukaita, don't let him die." She continued to work his heart to make it pump blood, but is life force was all but gone. Soon she realized she was making a dead heart work. Doctor Noda was gone.

Turning her stricken face to the unconscious man, her face curled up into a snarl. "You ... you HORRID man, I should kill you where you lay!"

The detective, who was at a loss of what just happened, recovered enough to run over and shield Lady Himari. "Don't do that, what happened?" he asked loudly.

"That one, he killed Doctor Noda. He poisoned a sweet and innocent man!" Lady Himari yelled.

"The gunman, I have to get you out of here."

In a hollow tone, Lady Himari said, "Lady Lucy got him, or he'd still be shooting at us. WHY did they kill Doctor Noda?"

The detective's radio announced, "Emergency report of another shooting at the old Rose Garden Inn, three kilometers from your location. Ambulance is on it's way."

Blank faced, Lady Himari asked, "Who else was shot?"

.

"Oh shit!" Kouta exclaimed as he saw the man's head explode on TV. The image stayed for a few seconds longer, showing Lady Himari and Lucy getting spattered with gore, then a 'So sorry, we are experiencing technical difficulties' came up.

Nana, who had been set to go get Mayu, turned and gapped at the screen. "That could have been Lu..." A wet 'thump' sounded, cutting off her words. A few quick 'clacks' sounded behind them at the same time. Nana flew back into the couch, then rolled limply to the floor.

Confused, Kouta looked behind them to see a ragged hole in the wall. Turning back, he noted the blood pumping from the hole in Nana's back as she lay on her side. Another pool formed in front of where Nana laid.

"Nana!" he screamed, and quickly put Mariko on the couch as he moved to help Nana.

Yuka belted out a long piercing scream as she shot to her feet.

"Nana, NANA!" Kouta yelled as he bent over her. He clapped a hand over her back wound to feel a bit of her spine sticking out. Putting the other hand over the hole directly under her ribs, he noted both holes were large. Her blood pumped out between his fingers. "HELP! Nana's been shot!" He screamed, trying to out-scream Yuka.

Mariko joined Yuka in her screaming as Kouta pressed his hands to Nana's wounds. Disbelief written on his face, Kouta cried, "No, no, NOT NANA!"

The scene became chaos as two women came in, wailed their anguish, then dropped down to help Kouta. One directed Kouta to breathe for her. Kita ran in to work on the wound in front as another woman held pressure on her back.

Blowing another breath into Nana, Kouta felt Nana try to cough. He pulled back enough to see her eyes were open, and looking at him.

Nana offered him a weak smile. In a faint voice, she said, "Thank you for loving me ... for Mariko."

"Don't talk, save your strength," Kouta said, blinking back his tears.

"And for the wonderful life, I love you all," Nana said. A single tear ran from her eye, then her eyes drifted shut.

"Nana? Nana! No, no, you can't die!" Kouta cried in anguish.

"Flip her over, do it now!" Kita yelled.

Kouta watched Nana's face roll away from him. She would make it, she HAD to make it! In the chaos, he heard Mariko cry, "AMA!" as she wailed. He turned to see she was sitting up, one arm reaching out for him. With his bloodied hands, Kouta picked his daughter up and prayed that her mother was going to live.

.

Lucy walked down the path, dangling the gunman in the air in front of her. Every time he tried to struggle free, she'd give him the hardest whack on the ass she could without doing damage to him.

"Bad boy," she chided, then giggled again.

Most of the way down to the road, a line of policemen ran up to meet her, pistols drawn. They stopped upon seeing the man dangling in the air.

"Here's the shooter, his gun is at the top of the path, between two boulders," Lucy told them, then whacked his ass again, saying, "Bad boy!"

"Help me!" the man cried as he struggled in vain to get free.

The police consulted on the radio briefly. The lead one asked, "You're Lady Lucy, right?"

"Yes, and this is the bad boy," she said, whacking the gunman's butt cheek that wasn't quite as red as the other one.

"Ma'am, let us take him. A car is waiting to take you to the hospital. One of your family members ... is badly hurt," the policeman said apologetically.

Lucy lowered the man down. The officers grabbed him, put him face down on the ground and cuffed him.

"What happened?" Lucy asked an officer who went down the path in front of her.

"Don't know, Ma'am. The hospital is waiting to receive a woman named Nana, emergency surgery."

Seeing they were above the police cars, Lucy grabbed the officer, jumped off the path and flew the last twenty meters down to the cars as the policeman yelped in fear. Upon landing, she said, "Get me there, quick!"

.

Lady Himari had let the medics take Doctor Noda away, as well as the man who killed him. Wandering away from the blood covered platform, she felt hollow. Doctor Noda, the man who was so helpful to her, who loved her so much, was dead. That brave guard who kindly helped her into her disguise was dead. From what the detective told her, chances were that Lady Nana wasn't going to live either.

As a white robe, she had failed miserably.

"Excuse me, Lady Himari?" a female reporter asked tentatively.

She was sorely tempted to wave the woman off, she didn't feel like talking to anyone right now. Still she stopped and turned her dazed look toward the woman.

"A gunman has just shot at you randomly, do you know who that might be?" the reporter asked.

"He wasn't random," Lady Himari said in a subdued tone. "Every shot was aimed directly at me. I just ... couldn't stop all the bullets. Even with Lady Lucy's help. I am ashamed people died today."

"Those bullets that appeared in front of you, you stopped them?"

"We did, Lady Lucy and I. Two bullets got past us. One ricocheted ... went all the way down to the new center and hit one of my friends after it killed the guard. The other at least didn't kill anyone," Lady Himari explained as she looked over at the platform where now there was a sheet over the dead guard.

"Those were huge bullets. You should feel lucky to be alive!" the woman said.

Lady Himari turned her drawn, tear stained face to the woman. "Why? I am a white robe, my duty is to save innocents, not to divert death from myself to strike others at random. I have failed in my duty."

A few other reporters came near, pointing microphones and cameras at her.

"Lady Himari, do you know who was trying to kill you?"

Lady Himari shook her head, saying, "I know not who was behind the gun. He is just a pawn of others that seek to kill our kind." She then raised a hand and said, "Please excuse me, I don't feel very well right now."

The cameras watched as Lady Himari walked slowly over to the steps of the platform. She sat down and gazed sightlessly at the ground.

The detective came over to her and said, "Lady Himari, we have the shooter. I need you to come with me to the station if you would, please."

.

In the hospital waiting room, Lucy found her family grouped in chairs, their faces bearing grief. Striding in, she asked, "What happened to Nana?"

Yuka got up and hugged Lucy. "Nana was shot, hit by a stray bullet. They are doing their best, but her brain is not responding. She's in a coma," she explained in a sob.

"The same one that killed the guard," Kouta said in a dull tone. "She was bleeding ... all over. Kita did his best.." he then crimped his eyes shut from the scene in his mind that would not go away.

"She was shot," Lucy said blankly. She gently pushed Yuka away and said, "I have to go do something. Spanking isn't enough this time."

"No!" Yuka cried, and clung to Lucy. "You can't go, revenge will not help Nana. Please no more killing, please!"

"No more," Kouta said as he looked up at Lucy. "I couldn't bear loosing you too."

Seeing Kouta's stricken face, Lucy went over, knelt before him and hugged him.

In Mayu's arms, Mariko looked around and asked, "Ama?"

The police officer that brought Lucy in came up and said, "Lady Lucy, we would like you to come to the station. There is a matter we need your help with."

.

The gray haired man cried out as he was thrust down into a chair in the dimly lit room. Through his pained vision, he noted they had not taken him into another interrogation room, but into the small, dark room that looked in to an empty interrogation room through a two way mirror.

"I am hurt, I need a doctor," he said, and tried to get up. He was pushed back in place. The cops kept him there for an agonizingly long time. They didn't speak, they just made sure he sat down on his burning ass.

"What is this? Why am I in here?" he finally asked.

The door to the interrogation room opened. An officer entered, and ushered in the pink haired woman. He held a chair for her, but she didn't sit. She walked past him, scanning the room with daggers in her eyes.

Their conversation came through on a speaker.

"We'll have him here shortly," the officer told her. "Can I get you anything?"

"Just bring him," she said in a growl.

"Ma'am, if you could just sit and ..."

"BRING HIM!" Lucy yelled. The chair by her balled itself up with metallic snapping.

"Yes, Ma'am, please wait here," the officer said, and backed out of the room.

A detective came in and leaned over the gray haired man from the side. "I'm sure you recognize her. She's the one who spanked your ragged ass, isn't she? Her best friend is dying right now, and she knows your bullet did it. She wants you dead in the worst way. I don't think a clean kill is what she has in mind, either. I think it's going to be very messy. Now, you will answer my questions, or we'll put you in there with her and lock the door. No one will see or hear anything."

Watching Lucy pace like a caged animal, he said, "You ... you can't do that!"

"Fail to answer me, and I will. I just hope we find all the pieces after she's done with you."

Gazing in fear at Lucy, the gray haired man swallowed and asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Who paid you?"

"Guy named Kobe, he was at that press conference. Don't know what happened to him."

"Know who he works for?" the detective prodded.

"I checked him out, he works for a branch of the National Health Agency. I figured this job would give a us some leverage with them if we needed it. I ... I didn't know about THEM," he said nervously as he watched Lucy rip the balled up chair apart in anger.

"Got an address?"

The gray haired man shook his head. "No, but I do know he routinely took a helicopter off the mainland. They headed out to sea, an island somewhere I imagine."

"Who's the man behind it?"

"All I know is Kobe wanted that woman dead, and paid well for it. We don't ask a lot of questions. Look, I'm telling you everything. Kobe contacted me, I took the job, he gave me the picture of the target. That's all I know."

The detective looked behind him and asked, "Is he telling the truth?"

"Yes, he believes he is," a woman said.

Lady Himari stepped out of the dark corner behind him, eyeing the man with hate. "Please take him away. If Lady Lucy sees him, I doubt that even I could stop her from ripping him apart."

.

In the village, Lady Hakata walked in her slow gait out to the helicopter flanked by white robes. Two men in black suits waiting in front if it bowed to her, one handed her a paper.

Lady Hakata read it, then gave a nod. "It is time," she said, and got into the helicopter.


	14. Ch 14 Lady Hakata asks a favor

Arakawa sat at her computer terminal, thinking about that strange dream she had. Lady Himari had explained it very well. It was completely logical that she had dreamed the events at the Maple Inn. Still something nagged at her. Why had she gotten so drunk? She didn't even LIKE to drink.

"All staff report to the main conference room in ten minutes" the overhead speaker announced.

Arakawa checked the virus supply status. Upon the page opening up on her computer, she saw large red letters over the batch files that read 'SANITIZED'.

"What's this?" she asked, and tried to bring up the production files. A white page with large letters reading 'Unauthorized' greeted her.

She tried again, searching for a way to figure out what was happening. From what she could see, the tank had been cleaned and purged, all the diclonius virus was gone. Any information about the virus was now either wiped from the system or she no longer had access to the files that she could find.

"All staff report to the main conference room in five minutes." the overhead speaker announced.

"Hey, Miss Arakawa, we better go," her lab tech said as he walked out the door.

"What happened to all my work?" Arakawa asked, as if he could answer.

The man shrugged and said, "I'm sure this meeting will tell us. We better go."

"How am I suppose to work like this!" she complained. "And not even decent facilities here, I haven't had a good bath since ... since Lucy..." she stopped short in her complaining. She HAD taken a bath with Lucy. The perfect water temperature, the large tub with the constant trickle of fresh water. It was no dream, she was there!

"Excuse me, Lady? Your presence is requested in the conference room," a gentle female voice said.

"I'll be right there!" Arakawa snapped, then froze in place as she looked at the woman. The woman who'd come in wore a white robe like Lady Himari. The woman also had dark violet hair and horns. Her horns were painted in rainbow stripes.

"You ... you're a..." Arakawa stuttered.

"I am a white robe, yes," the woman said with a smile. "Please come along, Lady Hakata is waiting for us."

.

"There must be something that can be done," Yuka said, begging the doctor.

Nana lay in the hospital bed with life support equipment attached to her. A tube coming out of her mouth ran over to a machine that quietly moved bellows up and down, taking breaths for her. Wires coming out of her chest led to a device with a monitor that shocked her heart, making in constrict and beat. A brainwave monitor set up with wires attached to her head only showed flat, green lines.

Kouta looked down on her, his face crimped up in pain.

"Everyone has done their best. It was the blood loss," The doctor explained. "That man Kita nearly bled himself out to keep her alive on the way here. The truth is that even then, not enough oxygenated blood reached her brain. With his help, we did heal her body but her brain did not survive. I am so sorry to say this, but the Nana you knew, is no more. What you see before you is an empty shell."

"I ... I can't do it," Kouta said in a croak. "I can't kill Nana."

"You are not killing her, Nana is already gone. All you can do now is let her go," the doctor said, and tried to hand Kouta the clipboard that authorized stopping life support.

Kouta refused it. "She's in a coma, right? People can come out of comas, I've heard stories," he said.

"There is no brain activity, not even enough nerve cell activity left to let her breathe on her own. She's not coming back," the doctor explained, and tried to hand Kouta the clipboard again.

Kouta slapped it away. "No! I WILL NOT KILL NANA!" he screamed. He tried to flee, but Lucy caught him. She held him tight as he first struggle to get away, then broke down and cried on her shoulder.

Shifting her gaze to the doctor, Lucy said, "Kouta has told you his answer."

"Look at the financial aspect, you're going to pay large amounts of money to keep a dead woman's heart beating," the doctor said. "She cannot live without this equipment, and she will never wake up."

Yuka put a hand to her mouth and asked, "Doctor, may we have a few minutes?"

The doctor nodded. He put the form down on a cart beside Nana, and left.

Yuka moved over and wrapped her arms around Kouta and Lucy, which brought them into a three way hug. Slowly, she said, "This is ... so hard. But, if that was me lying there, I wouldn't want all of you to suffer like this. I'd want you to move on."

"As would I," Lucy said softly.

"Nana doesn't deserve this," Kouta said in a sob. "She is the most cheerful ... wonderful girl ... She deserves to be happy, to watch Mariko grow up.. to..." planting his head on Lucy's shoulder, he held her tight and said, "It's not fair."

Lucy petted Kouta's hair saying, "I know. And husband or not, it's not fair to demand you be the only one who decides." Lucy gazed sadly over at Nana. "Kouta, let Nana go. She would not want to see you so sad."

"I can't," Kouta said weakly.

Yuka and Lucy looked at each other. Yuka gave Lucy a slight nod. "Yuka, hold onto Kouta tightly," Lucy said softly. Reaching out with her vectors, she wrapped two around Kouta and Yuka.

"What are you doing?" Kouta asked fearfully.

Yuka tightened her grip. "Just hold us, my love," she said, her voice quivering. She pulled his head over onto her shoulder.

Kouta's eyes widened as he realized what Lucy had planned. "No, no, don't do it!" he yelled, struggling against them.

"Please don't make this any harder," Yuka said with a sob.

Kouta dropped down, slipping from their physical grasps, then pushed back against Lucy's vectors. Afraid he was going to hurt himself, Lucy left him go. Kouta shot over and knelt by Nana's head. Holding her hand, he said, "Nana, you have to wake up now. This is your last chance. Come on, squeeze my hand, move something ... anything. You have to let us know you're still here. You have to do it now, come on Nana!" he begged with tears in his eyes.

Yuka sat down hard on the edge of the bed wearing a grief stricken face. She looked up at Lucy and shook her head. "I don't have any strength left, I can't take this."

"Nana, NANA! You have to move NOW!" Kouta cried.

Lucy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she tried to regain some resolve, she sensed each of her family, especially Kouta's agony. At one time, she had torn Nana's limbs from her body. At the moment, she would sooner rip her own limbs off, rather than do what needed to be done. Without seeing, she knew Yuka was at the foot of the bed. Kouta was by Nana's head, pleading with her to move. Nana lay motionless...

Lucy snapped her eyes open and stared at Nana. She had been around so many diclonius lately that sensing one had ceased to be something she paid attention to. She could sense Nana. If she could sense Nana, then that meant that on some level, Nana was still here.

Walking around the bed, Lucy thought hard. The doctor said Nana's brain wasn't working. Kita had been spent by the time they got to the hospital. He had focused on keeping her alive, healing the wounds he could see. No one had tried to heal Nana's damaged brain.

"Lucy, what.." Yuka asked, then fell silent as Lucy raised a hand to quiet her.

Standing opposite of where Kouta was kneeling beside Nana, Lucy sent out a vector into Nana's head. Mimicking what she had felt when Lady Hakata had entered her mind, she searched Nana's mind. While it was true there was no activity, Nana's mind was not dead. Her brain cells were alive, but needed something to wake them up. Something Nana enjoyed, something that would spark her attention. Kouta's pleading was literally falling on deaf ears, he wasn't getting through to her. Nana needed stimulus from her own body. Kneeling down, she reached over the bed and took Kouta's hand.

"Kouta, what does Nana enjoy the most?" Lucy asked.

"What?" he asked, giving her a confused look.

"When it's her turn, or at any time, what does Nana enjoy feeling the most?" Lucy asked again.

"Breastfeeding," Yuka said automatically. "Haven't you seen her face when she feeds Mariko? It's like she's in heaven."

"Yeah," Kouta agreed. "She really does love that."

"Then do it," Lucy said, and ripped Nana's hospital gown open.

"You ... you mean..." Kouta stuttered.

"Do you want Nana back?" Lucy asked harshly.

"Yes," Kouta stated.

Pulling Nana's gown apart to expose her breasts, Lucy said, "Nurse on her. You on that side, I'll take this side. Yuka, rub her feet, tickle them, just keep touching her. Nana needs stimulation."

"But, that is so ... perverted," Yuka said weakly as she eyed Lucy bending over to suckle on Nana's breast.

"We need to stimulate her, just do it," Lucy said firmly, then latched onto Nana's right nipple and sucked.

Kouta leaned over and took Nana's other nipple in his mouth. He sucked, and felt the warm milk enter his mouth. Not knowing what else to do, he drank as he suckled. Her milk did taste really good.

Yuka rubbed Nana's feet, trying to ignore them. "I really hope no one sees this," she said as she blushed deeply.

A few moments later, a soft moan came from Nana. Her hands rose up and cupped the back of Lucy and Kouta's heads. The machine monitoring her brain activity showed individual spikes, then jagged lines filled the screen.

.

Hearing his door open, Director Kakuzawa turned from looking out the picture window of his office to see a pair of black suited men come in wearing serious faces.

"I don't remember calling for anyone," he said in warning.

One man walked up to his desk, and pulled out a paper. "Mr. Kakuzawa, this is an order of termination from the Prime Minister. You are no longer in the service of our country."

"I'm being fired?" Kakazuawa asked in a chuckle.

"Yes sir, effective this moment you are terminated."

Director Kakuzawa pointed at the door and said, "Then get out of my facility. This is my land, my personal property I have built up with my money. You men are trespassing."

The other man came up and slapped another bunch of papers down on the desk. "Wrong sir, as written in a treaty between our Emperor and Lady Hiromi in 1941, the government of Japan acknowledges all land and holdings of any of Yukaita's sect, belongs to the common welfare of the sect, not to any individuals, or Japan. We have discovered you are of the sect of Yukaita. In accordance to that treaty, this island and everything on it has been handed over to the Elder of the sect."

Throwing his head back, Director Kakuzawa roared in laughter and said, "They are long dead and gone! My lawyers will have a party with you!"

"Not dead, not gone," came an aged voice from the doorway. Lady Hakata appeared and walked toward them.

Kakuzawa stared at her. As she approached, he studied her, then asked, "Hakata? Is that you?"

"Lady Hakata," she said, emphasizing her title. "And I thought you had been lost also. Now I find you here, causing trouble and disgracing our people. I am having your virus destroyed, and sisters are searching for any more youngsters you may have secreted away in those steel vaults."

Face open in surprise, Kakuzawa said "But, the village was destroyed. I saw it. How did you survive?"

"How is not important. Your actions, and answering for the crimes you've committed are," Lady Hakata said sternly.

Face screwing up in anger, Kakuzawa clenched his fist and yelled, "How dare you say that to me! You were there, you witnessed the battles. You saw our friends die. We cannot live in peace with these ... humans! We need to show these useless monkeys that WE are the superior race. It is WE who deserve to rule THEM. I will not hide in some forsaken village and wait for another attack. I will go ON the attack and fill this world with our kind!"

Lady Hakata spoke apologetically."You are insane, devoid of any emotion other than hate. That is why your mind hands were permanently disabled. Unfortunately, that did not stop the hate that burns your soul. I do feel sorry for you," Her voice then hardened. "But you have murdered and destroyed many lives without a hint of remorse. That must not go unpunished. Even Yukaita herself cannot forgive one such as you."

"And what will you do? Hand me over to these monkeys so they can parade me around as a prize?" Kakazuawa asked, spitting the words at her.

Lady Hakata shook her head. "No. As stated in the treaty, you are of the sect, so the sect must deal with you. I wish you a happier afterlife. May you find peace."

Realizing what she meant, Kakuzawa reached for his gun. Halfway though the motion, his body jerked as a wet slicing sound was heard. His head rolled down off his neck, and his body fell to the floor.

Lady Hakata let out a sigh and said, "So sad, indeed. The fault was not entirely his. Let us hope this time of agony passes quickly." To the men beside her, she said, "You may inform your Prime Minister this matter is being dealt with. Lady Himari has created a center for people who unexpectedly have children of the sect. Please be sure knowledge of it is spread. Far too many have suffered already."

"Lady Hakata, what of this facility?" one of the men asked.

Lady Hakata looked around the office and said, "This is a place of sadness and despair. Once we collect our people, we will leave this place to the discretion of the Prime Minister. I would ask he tear it down and use the materials here for scrap." She turned and walked out.

five years later

"Papa's home!" Mariko cried happily upon seeing Kouta remove his shoes in the entryway. The light violet haired girl bore a wide opened happy face as she ran, then in a long leap, dove into his arms. Kouta dropped his briefcase and caught her just in time. He'd no more than regain his balance when Kanae ran around the corner. Racing at him with her dark hair streaked with pink flying to partially obscure her head band, she leap into his arms with a cry of, "Welcome home, PAPA!"

Kouta caught Kanae and hugged his girls. He laughed and asked, "So my young ladies, how was your day? Did you have a good day at school, Mariko?"

Mariko bounced her head up and down. "I sure did! Wanna see what I learned?" Leaning over to look at his briefcase, Mariko frowned, and the briefcase lifted up in front of them. She then spun it like a top as she giggled. As it spun, it suddenly flew off to hit the wall, just missing the grandfather clock.

"Sorry, Papa," Mariko said as her cheeks colored.

"Hmm, not bad hon, but maybe you should practice more at school," Kouta mussed.

"I want to go to school too," Kanae said, turning her lip down in a pout.

Kouta couldn't help but smile. Kanae looked so cute when she frowned like that. "Next year, sweetie," he told her. Although she bore her mother's horns, Kouta couldn't help but see his sister's face in his daughter.

"Papa, Mayu's home, she brought a boy with her. Are they gonna get married?" Mariko asked.

"Let's go find out," Kouta said, and carried his girls into the dinning room to find Mayu standing by a boy who looked like he was trying to hide behind her.

"Hey Mayu, welcome home," Kouta said all smiles. Mayu had grown into a very pretty young lady. Her first year of college had gone well grade wise, and now it appeared she was getting better at trusting others.

"Hi Dad," Mayu said, putting an arm around her boyfriend. "This is Takashi. Takashi, this is my dad," she said, beaming with pride.

Bowing, Takashi said, "Hello, sir. It is an honor to meet you."

"Ahh, I see you've met," Yuka said as she came in, wearing a maternity smock that smoothed out her bulging stomach. Pausing by Kouta, she kissed him, then said, "All right girls, get down and let your father breathe."

"Yes, Mama Yuka," they said begrudgingly.

"So, mom, when am I going to have another sister?" Mayu asked.

"Brother," Yuka corrected. "And I will finally get to be first at something," she said with a wink.

"Be first?" Takashi asked with a confused look.

From the entrance, Lucy yelled, "Hey, we're home! We brought ice cream, but only for good little girls!"

Mariko and Kanae turn to the sound and went running with a happy yell of, "Mama Lucy brought us ice cream!"

"Mama ... Lucy?" Takashi asked.

"It's complicated," Mayu said sheepishly.

"I take it you have a question?" Kouta asked him.

Takashi hesitated, then said, "Well, I noticed both of Mayu's sisters have horns, but none of you do."

Lucy walked in, a girl in each arm. A shopping bag dangled from one elbow. Her hair had darkened to a brilliant red. The girls in her arms pushed on her bosom, making the cleavage of her white blouse seem bottomless. Lucy walked up and kissed Kouta.

Right behind her, Nana strode in. The pink sweater she wore was strained across her ample chest. Her horns bore flower designs. She stopped and gapped for a second, then cried, "MAYU!"

"NANA!" Mayu screamed back. They ran into each other's arms and hugged each other as they bounced with joy.

Casting a grin at Mayu and Nana's joyful reunion, Lucy eyed the boy and asked, "Who's the boyfriend?"

Still hugging Nana, Mayu pointed with an arm as she introduced people. "This is Takashi, Takashi, meet my mother Lucy, and THIS is Nana!"

"You have two mothers?" he asked. Looking at Lucy's head, he noticed her horns that were painted the same color as her hair. He also couldn't help noticing the size of Nana's chest. Nana had huge breasts. Forcing his eyes back to Lucy's face he said, "Ah, so the girls are yours, but..." he then shifted his gaze to Mayu and asked, "But your mother is pregnant too?"

Nana frowned at him and asked, "Don't I count?"

"Of course you do!" Mayu said. Then told Takashi, "Nana is my best friend, but she's my mother too."

"THREE mothers?" Takashi said as he gapped at her.

"I told you it was complicated," Mayu said defensively.

Casting a crooked grin at Mayu, Lucy winked and said, "And yes dear, we still take our turns."

Mayu grimaced and said, "Ohh, come on! Please don't get perverted in front of my boyfriend."

Eyeing Mayu with a smirk, Lucy asked, "You mean you're not?"

"Uhoh," Nana said and looked down at her sweater. "Darn, I'm leaking again."

"But, aren't you finished breast feeding?" Mayu asked. "I mean, Kanae is four and Mariko is five."

"I never said I was feeding the girls," Nana said with a grin as she glanced at Kouta.

"Ughhh," Mayu grumbled. Casting a sad look at Takashi, Mayu said, "I'm sorry my parents are all perverts."

"No problem," Takashi said, then shifted his gaze to a painting on the wall.

Seeing this, Yuka said, "Mayu painted that, she did a great job."

"That is good, ... Hey, isn't that Lady Himari?"

"Yes, she stayed with us for a while," Mayu said.

"You know Lady Himari?" Takashi asked again with wide eyes.

"Yes, we work with her at the center," Nana told him.

"Which reminds me, she's coming over for dinner tonight. You'll get to meet her, you ARE staying for dinner," Lucy told him.

Takashi grew a smile as he asked, "Really? I mean, she's like ... the Mother Theresa of Japan. She's famous!"

"Tonight is going to be a big dinner," Yuka said wearing a satisfied smile. "It's going to be fun."

Lucy put the girls down. "But you need to take it easy, Yuka. We'll take care of dinner," she said.

"I'll put the food away," Mayu said, and took the grocery bag.

"I want to help too!" Mariko announced. "Come on Mama Nana, let's help!" she said, grabbing Nana's hand.

"Me too!" Kanae cried as she bounced in place.

"Let's go," Mayu said cheerfully.

"Nice to meet you, Takashi-san," Lucy said, then followed Nana and the girls out.

"Hands off the ice cream until after dinner," Yuka called after them.

"Yes, Mama Yuka," they chorused back, then giggled.

Kouta listened, as if waiting. A crash was heard, then Mariko's cry of, "OHHH, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that!"

"There go the new dishes, they didn't even make it to the cupboard this time," Yuka said with a sigh.

"She hasn't missed a day yet," Kouta said with a chuckle. Turning to Yuka, he said, "I bought another set today, plastic ones this time. I'll go get them."

Yuka cast him a small grin and said, "And Kanae starts school next year. I do hope we have a house left by the time they learn to use her mind hands."

The End


	15. Chapter 15 Yuka asks Kouta a favor

A 'favor' story from the second generation series. In case you don't follow that series:

Mariko : Nana's teenage child (the oldest child)

Kanae : Lucy's oldest / teenager

Hisoka : teenage boy/ Mariko's boyfriend/fiance

Chika : Lucy's youngest child / 2nd grade

Kouta went to kiss Yuka good morning as he saw her in the kitchen. Yuka turned away with a "Hruph!"

"What up?" Kouta asked, puzzled by her behavior.

"Are you SURE you kissed everyone else before you got to me?" Yuka asked harshly.

"What? Yuka, I just got up. Nana is still sleeping."

Yuka turned to him with tears in her eyes. "And that makes two nights in a row for Nana, doesn't it? Before that, you took Lucy to a hotel for the WHOLE DAY! OH, and let's not forget Lady Himari needs her baby," Yuka said caustically.

"Yuka, we promised her..." Kouta then got it. "I'm sorry, Yuka, we'll do something special. I promise, just the two of us."

Yuka flipped her hand and said, "Oh, now that everyone else has been taken care of, I suppose I can TRY to catch up."

"It's not like that," Kouta insisted. "Look, a lot of things have happened, you didn't get left out on purpose. Please, let me make it up to you."

Yuka eyed him with a frown. "How?" she asked warily.

Kouta thought for a second, then said, "You know that spare room upstairs at the end of the hallway that we never go into? I'll sneak some saki and some food up there. We can sneak up there after dinner and no one will know where we are."

"Yeah?" Yuka asked with a smirk. "So, we can stay hidden until breakfast?"

Kouta went over and hugged her. "No getting up for breakfast, we'll stay hidden up there until we're good and ready to leave. Come on, the kids are old enough to take care of themselves. Even Chika can get herself dressed, and I'm sure Kanae will get her ready for school." He gave her a kiss and said, "No one will have a clue where we went."

"And no one's going to tow you off beforehand?" Yuka asked.

"I'll make an excuse to leave the dinner table early, and go up and eagerly wait for you," he promised.

A smile lit Yuka's face. "All right. And it is my turn to have another baby," she said.

"We'll try our best."

.

Mariko was getting frustrated, and she knew Hisoka was too. She wanted to have sex again so bad, but something always happened. If not one of their parents was nearby, then it was her littlest sister Chika climbing in bed with her just before Hisoka snuck into her room.

This morning, she snuck into Hisoka's room to wake him up. Wearing a sly grin, she slipped into bed with him and tickled his ear until he woke up. Even before he came around, he wrapped his arms around her.

"Sweetie, time to get up," she called, and kissed him.

Hisoka woke up and jerked back. "Mariko! We'll get caught!" he said wide-eyed.

"Shhh! Not if we're quiet," she insisted.

"Mama Yuka has radar, she's probably on her way now," Hisoka said as he got up, and helped her up. "It's not safe in our rooms."

"OK, where then?"

Hiskoa petted her sides as he thought. He did so bad want to touch every part of her again. "Hey, the room at the end of the hall is empty, right? I mean, no one goes up there except to clean. How about if we sleep up there tonight?" His face spread into a wide grin as he said, "It's far enough away from the other rooms that we won't have to be quiet. And we can stay together all night."

"Sounds great," Mariko said, and kissed him. Giving him a tight hug, she said in a silky tone, "That would be wonderful."

"Mariko? Come on, we gotta help with breakfast!" Kanae called out.

.

On the way home from work, Kouta got the saki and some snacks. Instead of coming in the front door, he went to the back. Everyone that was home was downstairs. He took his shoes off and carried them, and crept up to the second floor. Going to the room at the end of the hall, he went in, seeing Yuka had already laid out a made up futon. He put the saki and snacks down by it. The colorful designs on the blanket looked like Yuka had used one of Mariko's blankets.

"Kinky, but that's fine," Kouta said with a grin. Maybe this was Yuka's way to feel 'young' again.

.

Yuka was in a cheerful mood. She'd made up her futon in the room at the end of the hall and scattered rose petals over it. The incense burner was ready, and the cooler was filled with ice for the saki that Kouta was getting. This was going to be so wonderful!

They had dinner. Hisoka was missing. Mariko explained that he was working late, and most likely would go straight to bed when he got home. Shed been sure to pack him a dinner so he wouldn't be hungry.

Kouta ate, then excused himself, stating he had to do some work before he turned in for the night. He left the table and went upstairs and turned right to go wait for Yuka in the room at the end of the hall. He thought he heard something down the hall. He listened, but not hearing it again, he went in the room, stripped down and got under the covers. For romantic reasons, he turned off the light.

.

A short time later, the door opened and shut, then a soft giggle sounded. She padded over and slipped into bed.

.

Hisoka lay on his back, hands behind his head as he waited for Mariko. The rose petals were a nice touch, and the cooler of ice was great for the cans of fruit/saki mix he'd gotten. He was all but asleep when the door slid open and shut. In the dark, he heard her robe drop to the floor, then she slid into bed with him. Their lips locked in a wonderful kiss.

.

Kouta kissed her back eagerly as she sat up on him naked. Rubbing groins, Kouta began to notice things didn't feel right. Yuka's breasts were about the right size, but firm. Her thighs were also very firm, as was her hips, and the arms around him seemed a bit thin. Her hair was also flowing down over him.

Yuka didn't have long hair. Nor did she have mind hands to hold him with. It had to be Lucy.

Breaking the kiss, Kouta said, "Wait... hold on.."

Above him, she froze in place. In a horrified squeak she asked, "Papa?"

"Mariko!" he cried in shock.

With yelps, Mariko flew off him to the side and Kouta scrambled to crawl over by the wall and grab a handful of clothes to cover himself. Mariko pulled the blanket tightly around her.

"Papa, what are you doing here!" Mariko cried.

"What are YOU doing here?" Kouta cried back.

"Ooohhh! Thing isn't happening!" Mariko cried in a whine.

Kouta got dressed as well as he could in the dark, then asked, "Mariko, are you covered? I'm going to turn the light on."

"Yes, go ahead," Mariko said in a tiny voice.

Kouta turned the light on. He more or less had his shirt and pants on. A hump of blanket with a few strands of light purple hair peeking out showed where Mariko was. He took her robe over by her, and realizing what he'd almost done, he said, "Honey, I'm so sorry."

Peeking her head out of the blanket, Mariko said, "It's my fault too. I thought Hisoka was in here. But if you're here, Papa, where is Hisoka?"

From down the hall a fearsome scream of "I'M NOT MARIKO, YOU PERVERT!" wailed out.

"I think we found them," Kouta said in a huff.

.

Kouta went out the door quickly to see a naked Hisoka burst from the room at the other end of the hall.

"I'm sorry!" Hisoka cried as he ran, holding his shirt to cover himself in the front. From the stairway, Lucy, Nana, and Kanae appeared to gape at him.

"Ghhhaaa!'" Hisoka cried, and ducked into a room.

Yuka then appeared in the doorway at the end, flushed crimson, with her blanket tightly around her.

Kanae gapped at Yuka and asked, "Mama Yuka, what were you doing with Hiskoa?"

"Really. I know you missed your turn, but that's just not right," Lucy added.

Yuka pointed to Kouta and yelled, "This is YOUR fault."

"Me?" Kouta asked.

Mariko appeared beside Kouta wrapped in her blanket. Also wearing a red face, she said, "It was a mistake, Mama Yuka!"

Everyone swung their heads to see Kouta in rumpled clothes, and Mariko beside him.

"That's so not right," Nana said as she gapped at them.

"Kouta, don't tell me ... not with YOUR DAUGHTER!" Yuka screamed.

"NO! I thought you were... it was suppose to be you, Yuka," Kouta said defensively.

"With Papa!" Kanae cried as she stared at Mariko.

"No!" Kouta and Mariko yelled at the same time.

Mariko then bolted down the hall to the same room Hisoka had. She tried to open the door, then knocked. "Hisoka, let me in!"

Hisoka's voice rang out with a sob. "NO, Mama Yuka's gonna kill me!"

Nana suddenly burst out in laughter and said, "I got it! Yuka just wanted to beat on Hisoka too!"

"But ... with PAPA?" Kanae asked again as she stared at Mariko.

"NO!" Mariko cried in a wail, and banged on the door. "Hisoka! Please let me in!"

Chuckling Lucy said, "Let her in Hisoka, I think she's about to faint."

Eyeing Yuka, Nana asked, "Yuka came up first, so why did we heard Kouta and Mariko scream first?"

Everyone looked at Yuka. Mariko's jaw dropped. Her face turned from red with embarrassment, to red with rage. She turned to beat on the door again. "Hisoka! Why didn't you know that wasn't me? Papa knew I wasn't Yuka, why didn't you know it wasn't me? Answer me Hisoka, or I'M gong to kill you!"

Yuka pursed her lips and slipped back into the room.

Kouta let out a sigh, and said, "Yeah, that idea went well."


	16. Chapter 16

A BAD DAY FOR POLLING

Kouta stood at the mall entrance with the whole Maple Inn gang. So the women could go shopping uninterrupted, he took charge of Kouta Junior and Chika. "We'll meet for lunch and the restaurant here at the entrance," he announced.

"OK!" everyone replied in a chorus. Yuka and Nana headed off for the salon, Lucy and Kanae wandered off to window shop, Hisoka and Mariko made a b-line for the arcade.

.

Hiedeki got ready to do his latest food poll. Today, he was going to try to find out which milk was the most popular. He had his list of the most popular brands, and commenced stopping people. The first few youngsters with their parents chose a local brand. Then he stopped a man with his two children, a pre-teen boy and a young girl.

"Excuse me, Sir. I am doing a poll, which milk does your family prefer?" he asked.

The girl piped up with, "Mama Nana's milk!"

The boy bobbed his head. "Yeah, other milk is ... yuck."

The man shrugged, "I'd have to agree with them. Come on kids, that anime movie you wanted to see starts soon."

"Yeah, we gotta go. See ya mister!" the boy said.

Heideki looked on his list and couldn't find 'Mama Nana's' brand milk. He figure their mother was most likely breast feeding, so he went on to his way, and stopped a pink haired woman and her daughter. He asked his question.

The girl frowned and said, "I'd have to say Mama Nana's milk is the best. Right Mama Lucy?"

The woman nodded and said, "True, nothing can beat that."

Heideki thanked them, noting that the girl was with her mother, so 'Mama Nana's' milk HAD to be a brand name. Moving along he collected a couple more polls, then stopped to ask a young man and his light purple haired girlfriend what their favorite milk was.

"Mama Nana's milk, right Hisoka?" the girl said confidently.

The boy shrugged and said, "I've never really had it."

"Yes you have!" the girl said firmly. "You drink milk at our house, don't you?"

The boy's eyes widened. "THAT's Mama Nana's milk?"

"Duhhh, yeah," the girl said with a giggle.

"Wow, no wonder it tastes so different."

"You like it?" Heideki asked.

"Oh yeah! All the other milk tastes pretty much the same, but Mama Nana's milk is awesome."

Heideki thanked them and made a note : find out who makes and sells 'Mama Nana's' milk. This well could be a small company that didn't know the potential their product had. He polled a few more people, then asked them if they had heard of 'Mama Nana's' milk. Coming upon a pair of women, he stopped them and asked his question. They had no preference, she he then asked, "Do you know where I could buy Mama Nana's milk?'

The purple haired woman with horns flushed and cocked her arm back.

CRACK

Heideki recoiled from the blow, confused. Holding his burning cheek, he said, "Wait! If you could show me where Mama Nana's milk comes from.."

The dark haired woman scowled and cocked her arm back with a cry of "PERVERT!"

CRACK

Heideki stumbled back with two burning cheeks now as the women walk away. As he watched, the pink haired woman and her daughter met them. As the dark haired woman explained and pointed to him, the pink haired woman eyed him with a frown. The pink haired woman then strode over to him, looking angry.

"Ma'am, what did I..." Heideki asked, and the world spun up side down. Something had him by the ankles. He then felt his pants rip open. He tried to cover the rip, and his hands were knocked away.

WHACK  
>WHACK<p>

WHACK

WHACK

It had no more than registered that he was getting his ass spanked, when he was dropped in a heap on the floor. He got up to hold his ripped pants closed to see the pink haired woman storming away. A pair of policemen were now eyeing him as they approached.

"Yes, that's the pervert!" the dark haired woman called.

The police picked him up by the arms and said, "Let's go."

"But..." Heideki asked as they steered him away. He then noticed the purple haired teenager from before walking with her arm entwined with her boyfriend.

Pointing she said, "There's Mama Nana, over there."

Heideki knew then he needed another job.


End file.
